We describe the physical basis and some applications of an efficient event generator designed for Monte Carlo simulations of atmospheric cascades at ultrahigh energies. The event generator (sibyll) incorporates many features of the Lund programs, but emphasizes the fragmentation region and the production of minijets. A consistent treatment of hadron-hadron and hadron-nucleus interactions is emphasized. Examples of applications are the calculation of coincident muons observed in deep underground detectors and the simulation of the longitudinal development of air shower components in the atmosphere.

• Received 26 January 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.50.5710