Depth of Maximum of EAS and Mean Mass Composition of Primary CRs from the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Cherenkov Light According to TAIGA-HiSCORE Data

We present the dependence of the depth of maximum of extensive air showers (EAS), Xₘₐₓ, on the energy of the primary particle, as determined from data recorded with the wide-angle Cherenkov array TAIGA-HiSCORE during the 2021--2025 observation seasons. The reconstruction of Xₘₐₓ from the experimental data uses relations obtained from EAS simulations: the dependence on the steepness of the Cherenkov light lateral distribution function (P-method) and on the full width at half maximum of the Cherenkov light pulse ($τ$-method). The reconstructed Xₘₐₓ values are converted into the mean logarithmic mass ln A, which characterizes the primary cosmic-ray mass composition. The results are compared with measurements from Tunka-133 (2017), the Pierre Auger Observatory (2019), LHAASO (2024), TALE (2026), and other experiments.