AstrO: A portable cosmic ray telescope

Grazzi, S.; Assandri, L.; Battaglieri, M.; Cardile, C.; Corosu, M.; Fontanelli, F.; Ottonello, G.; Parodi, F.; Perasso, L.; Pratolongo, F.

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2020.164275

Title: AstrO: A portable cosmic ray telescope

Abstract

This paper describes the design and performances of the AstrO (Astroparticle Outreach) cosmic muon telescope. The detector, contained in a trolley, is transportable and simple enough to be used by high-school students. The sophisticated data acquisition system is based on advanced DAQ technology and thanks to a simple interface is suitable for non-expert users. The detector is capable of measuring an integrated cosmic muon rate of 1–2 Hz with a precision (statistical and systematic) of a few percent in few hours of data taking. It can be used to detect variations induced by the solar activity, to determine the rate dependence on the geographical location (altitude and latitude) and to measure the cosmic muon rate attenuation due to surrounding high-density shielding such as rocks or concrete walls.

Authors:: Grazzi, S.; Assandri, L.; Battaglieri, M.; Cardile, C.; Corosu, M.; Fontanelli, F.; Ottonello, G.; Parodi, F.; Perasso, L.; Pratolongo, F.

Publication Date:: Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2020

Research Org.:: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)

OSTI Identifier:: 1633815

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1635211

Report Number(s):: JLAB-PHY-20-3196; DOE/OR-23177-4990
Journal ID: ISSN 0168-9002; S0168900220306719; 164275; PII: S0168900220306719

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-06OR23177

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment Journal Volume: 976 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0168-9002

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: Netherlands

Language:: English

Subject:: 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION

Citation Formats


                    Grazzi, S., Assandri, L., Battaglieri, M., Cardile, C., Corosu, M., Fontanelli, F., Ottonello, G., Parodi, F., Perasso, L., and Pratolongo, F. AstrO: A portable cosmic ray telescope.  Netherlands: N. p., 2020. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.nima.2020.164275.

Copy to clipboard


                    Grazzi, S., Assandri, L., Battaglieri, M., Cardile, C., Corosu, M., Fontanelli, F., Ottonello, G., Parodi, F., Perasso, L., & Pratolongo, F. AstrO: A portable cosmic ray telescope.  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164275

Copy to clipboard


                    Grazzi, S., Assandri, L., Battaglieri, M., Cardile, C., Corosu, M., Fontanelli, F., Ottonello, G., Parodi, F., Perasso, L., and Pratolongo, F. Thu .  
"AstrO: A portable cosmic ray telescope".  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164275.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_1633815,

  title        = {AstrO: A portable cosmic ray telescope},

  author       = {Grazzi, S. and Assandri, L. and Battaglieri, M. and Cardile, C. and Corosu, M. and Fontanelli, F. and Ottonello, G. and Parodi, F. and Perasso, L. and Pratolongo, F.},

  abstractNote = {This paper describes the design and performances of the AstrO (Astroparticle Outreach) cosmic muon telescope. The detector, contained in a trolley, is transportable and simple enough to be used by high-school students. The sophisticated data acquisition system is based on advanced DAQ technology and thanks to a simple interface is suitable for non-expert users. The detector is capable of measuring an integrated cosmic muon rate of 1–2 Hz with a precision (statistical and systematic) of a few percent in few hours of data taking. It can be used to detect variations induced by the solar activity, to determine the rate dependence on the geographical location (altitude and latitude) and to measure the cosmic muon rate attenuation due to surrounding high-density shielding such as rocks or concrete walls.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.nima.2020.164275},

  journal      = {Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 976,

  place        = {Netherlands},

  year         = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2020},

  month        = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2020}

}

Copy to clipboard

Journal Article:

Free Publicly Available Full Text

Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164275

Other availability

Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal

Figures / Tables:

Fig. 1.: Scheme of the AstrO detector with tracks of down-going cosmic muons.

All figures and tables (24 total)

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Figures / Tables found in this record:

Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.

Similar Records in DOE PAGES and OSTI.GOV collections:

The Astroparticle Detectors Array—An Educational Project in Cosmic Ray Physics

Journal Article Arcani, Marco ; Conte, Elio ; Monte, Omar Del ; ... - Symmetry

ADA, short for Astroparticle Detectors Array, is an educational project aiming to detect cosmic radiation and possibly high-energy particles known as ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) or even to spot a supernova event. Its working process is the same as that used in professional cosmic ray observatories: it consists of simple detectors spread over the entire Italian territory and beyond. The detectors are hosted among high schools, associations, and private astronomical observatories. ADA has been operating since 2013 and was brought about with the intention of promoting astroparticle physics to any given level of outreach. Furthermore, ADA is becoming an interestingmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.3390/sym15020294

Full Text Available
PLATEAUING COSMIC RAY DETECTORS TO ACHIEVE OPTIMUM OPERATING VOLTAGE

Journal Article Knoff, E N ; Peterson, R S - Journal of Undergraduate Research

Through QuarkNet, students across the country have access to cosmic ray detectors in their high school classrooms. These detectors operate using a scintillator material and a photomultiplier tube (PMT). A data acquisition (DAQ) board counts cosmic ray hits from the counters. Through an online e-Lab, students can analyze and share their data. In order to collect viable data, the PMTs should operate at their plateau voltages. In these plateau ranges, the number of counts per minute remains relatively constant with small changes in PMT voltage. We sought to plateau the counters in the test array and to clarify the plateauingmore »« less
Full Text Available
Educational Cosmic Ray Arrays

Journal Article Soluk, R A - AIP Conference Proceedings

In the last decade a great deal of interest has arisen in using sparse arrays of cosmic ray detectors located at schools as a means of doing both outreach and physics research. This approach has the unique advantage of involving grade school students in an actual ongoing experiment, rather then a simple teaching exercise, while at the same time providing researchers with the basic infrastructure for installation of cosmic ray detectors. A survey is made of projects in North America and Europe and in particular the ALTA experiment at the University of Alberta which was the first experiment operating undermore » this paradigm.« less
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2197427
An optimization of the FPGA trigger based on the artificial neural network for a detection of neutrino-origin showers

Conference Szadkowski, Zbigniew ; Glas, Dariusz ; Pytel, Krzysztof

Observations of ultra-high energy neutrinos became a priority in experimental astro-particle physics. Up to now, the Pierre Auger Observatory did not find any candidate on a neutrino event. This imposes competitive limits to the diffuse flux of ultra-high energy neutrinos in the EeV range and above. A very low rate of events potentially generated by neutrinos is a significant challenge for a detection technique and requires both sophisticated algorithms and high-resolution hardware. A trigger based on a artificial neural network was implemented into the Cyclone{sup R} V E FPGA 5CEFA9F31I7. The prototype Front-End boards for Auger-Beyond-2015 with Cyclone{sup R} Vmore »« less
Project ASTRO: Astronomers and teachers as partners in the classroom

Conference Fraknoi, A ; Richter, J

Project ASTRO is an innovative pilot program to support science education in California schools by linking teachers and students in grades four-nine with amateur and professional astronomers. Funded by the National Science Foundation, Project ASTRO`s goals are to support ongoing partnerships between teachers and astronomers and to involve students in hands-on astronomy activities. The two-year pilot project started in spring 1993 and has four phases: (1) evaluating existing astronomy education materials; (2) recruiting, matching, and training teachers and astronomers; (3) providing assistance and support to teacher/astronomer teams and assessing the effectiveness of the partnerships; and (4) developing two publications, Themore »« less

Similar Records