Measurement of the Energy Spectrum and Mass Composition of Ultra-high Energy Cosmic Rays

In this work, ultra-high energy cosmic rays are studied based on ten years of data taken with the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina. The all-particle flux of cosmic rays and the mass composition are derived using dedicated reconstruction algorithms and modern statistical methods. Simulation studies to aid these procedures are further developed and discussed in detail. Features in the derived energy spectrum and mass composition, and their impact on the physics of cosmic rays are detailed