Test of interaction models with the KASCADE hadron calorimeter

Abstract The interpretation of extensive air shower measurements often requires the comparison with EAS simulations. These calculations rely on hadronic interaction models which have to extrapolate into kinematical and energy regions not covered by present-day collider experiments. The KASCADE experiment with its large hadron calorimeter and its detectors for the electromagnetic and muonic components provides experimental data to check hadronic interaction models. For the EAS simulations the program CORSIKA with several hadronic event generators embedded is used. Different hadronic observables are investigated as well as their correlations with the electromagnetic and muonic components. Comparing the interaction models QGSJET 98, NEXUS II, and DPMJET 11.5, it is found, that QGSJET describes the data best.