Note on the Neher-Stever Experiment

Three problems important to the quantitative interpretation of experiments on the decay of the penetrating component of cosmic rays are discussed: (a) The correct treatment of the altitude effect in the energy distribution is found to be important in the determination of the decay constant of the mesotron; (b) the fraction of mesotrons decaying is shown to be independent of the zenith angle; (c) the absorption in water of cascades produced by decay electrons is calculated from the shower theory of Serber and is in agreement with the experimental results of Neher and Stever. This last point shows that one but not both of the decay products is shower producing.