STUDY OF THE PRIMARY COSMIC-RAY COMPOSITION AROUND THE KNEE OF THE ENERGY-SPECTRUM

A study of the primary cosmic ray composition in the energy range 5.10(14)-5.10(15) eV is performed through the analysis of the deep underground muons and of the e.m. component of Extensive Air Showers detected in coincidence by the MACRO and EAS-TOP experiments at the Gran Sasso Laboratory. We conclude that: a) pure proton and Iron primary beams are excluded by the experimental data; b) a fraction of nuclei heavier than Helium is necessary to explain the experimental data both below and above the knee; c) a mixed composition, obtained a priori from extrapolations of the spectra directly measured below 100 TeV, yields a reasonable account of the observations up to the knee of the primary spectrum.