Using Monte Carlo simulation of extensive air showers, we showed that the maximum depth of showers, $X_{max}$ can be estimated using $P=Q\left(100\right)∕Q\left(200\right)$, the ratio of Cherenkov photon densities at 100 and 200 meters from the shower core, which is known as the steepness parameter of the lateral distribution of Cherenkov radiation on the ground. A simple quadratic model has been fitted to a set of data from simulated extensive air showers, relating the steepness parameter and the shower maximum depth. Then the model has been tested on another set of simulated showers. The average difference between the actual maximum depth of the simulated showers and the maximum depth obtained from the lateral distribution of Cherenkov light is about 9 g/cm². In addition, possibility of a more direct estimation of the mass of the initial particle from $P$ has been investigated. An exponential relation between these two quantities has been fitted. Applying the model to another set of showers, we found that the average difference between the estimated and the actual mass of primary particles is less than 0.5 atomic mass unit.

使用广泛的空气淋浴的蒙特卡罗模拟，我们表明，淋浴的最大深度， $X_{米\mathrm{一种}X}$ 可以估计使用 $磷=问\left(100\right)∕问\left(200\right)$，距离淋浴核 100 米和 200 米处的切伦科夫光子密度之比，称为地面切伦科夫辐射横向分布的陡度参数。一个简单的二次模型已经被拟合到一组来自模拟的广泛空气阵雨的数据，将陡度参数和阵雨最大深度联系起来。然后该模型在另一组模拟淋浴上进行了测试。模拟阵雨的实际最大深度与切伦科夫光的横向分布得到的最大深度之间的平均差异约为9 g/cm ²。此外，可以更直接地估计初始粒子的质量$磷$已被调查。这两个量之间的指数关系已经拟合。将该模型应用于另一组阵雨，我们发现初级粒子的估计质量与实际质量之间的平均差异小于 0.5 个原子质量单位。