measured peaks of cosmic radiation · zaanlands lyceum 18-06-2010 average of 2500 events 12˚c...
TRANSCRIPT
Measured peaks of cosmic radiation
Steven AsselmanZaanlands Lyceum
Presentation content
• What is HiSPARC?
• Research question
• Peak analyses
• Conclusion
• Further research
What is HiSPARC?
• ‘High School Project on Astrophysics Research with Cosmics’
• Source of high energetic particles
• Black holes, supernovas?
Cosmic showers
Detecting muons
Standard model of elementary particles
Measuring coincidences
Research question
St. Michaël College 20-05-2010
Zaanlands Lyceum 20-05-2010
Zaanlands Lyceum 20-05-2010 St. Michaël College 20-05-2010
St. Michaël College 09-06-2010
Zaanlands Lyceum 09-06-2010
Paradoxical?
St. Michaël College 09-06-2010Zaanlands Lyceum 09-06-2010
Zaanlands Lyceum 18-06-2010
Average of 2500 events
12˚C – 17˚C
Little solar
Zaanlands Lyceum 06-06-2010
Average of 3200 events
Little solar
15˚C - 25˚C
So far…
• ‘Rain’ has positive effect on coincidences
• Temperature has positive effect on coincidences
Blackett’s theory is in conflict with positive temperature effect:
With a relatively low temperature: With a relatively high temperature:
We (roughly) expect a graph like this…
Zaanlands Lyceum 06-06-2010
… but in fact we measure this:
However, at some stations it seems like we do measure this effect:
Walburg College 27-06-2010
But is the positive effect here as well?
Walburg College 27-06-2010
1700 coincidences
28˚C
200 W/m2
Walburg College 22-06-2010
1400 coincidences
20˚C
200 W/m2
If we compare the previous graphs with these graphs…
... we can conclude that the positive temperature effect is also here.
Why does a higher temperature lead to more measured coincidences?
• Michaël College has 4 detectors• Zaanlands Lyceum has 2 detectors• Detectors Zaanlands have more trouble with..thermal noise
Thermal noise
Zaanlands Lyceum 27-06-2010
Zaanlands Lyceum 22-06-2010
Blackett’s temperature effect seems to be there after all:
Conclusion
• Rain has a positive effect on measured coincidences
• Higher temperature causes thermal noise in fotomultipliertube which leads to more measured coincidences
• Coincidences caused by thermal noise can be reduced by placing more detectors
• A higher temperature of the atmosphere leads to Blackett’s temperature effect
Further research
Why can rain lead to more measured coincidences? What is the exact importance of the atmospheric pressure?
What influence does a thunderstorm have on the detectors?
Are our measurements affected by solar activity ?
What kind of influence does the calibration of the detectors have? Can we ‘calibrate away’ the thermal noise?
Why do measuring stations all over the country measure peaks during different periods of the day? Can this be explained by the (different) placement of the detectors?