Experiment Design SCIPP Teacher Workshop Mary Jo Nordyke August 2010

The Muons in Cosmic Rays Muons are one of many particles discovered in studies of cosmic radiation [which are a part of the natural radiation on Earth] The Muon is a heavier version of the electron with the same electric charge but about 200 times more mass.

The Process of Collecting Muons This diagram illustrates how Muons are collected and measured (minus background) in a set time interval to collect enough data to have at least 100 hits.

Muon Monitoring Station The Plastic Scintillator Paddles collect the Muons, sends them to the Photo Multiplier Tube as photons, which finally end up at the analog-to-digital data acquisition (DAQ) Board as an electron.

The first step in analysis of the data is:

What is Muon Flux Rate particles hit. The number of particles per meter2 per time (60 seconds).

Why Perform Flux Analysis of Muons? Cosmic muon distributions (flux) as a function of time, location and direction on the Earth. Astrophysics and high energy physics application. Monitor environmental effects from cosmic particles. Cosmic ray effect on electronic logic or memory.

From Raw Data to a Plot Used Channel 1; Detector B How does the arrival rate depend on time of day? or solar activity? 1. Is there a pattern, and/or more of a 1% change? 2. If there is more than 1%, then the occurrence is not random.

Muon Flux Analysis This plot shows flux measurements for detector # 7928 on August 11, The counters were stacked, one on top of the other, consisting of a Scintillator and photomultiplier tube connected to the DAQ board.

What Does This Flux Study Mean? total events total lines gatewidth ns Average hits per Event: 3.31

Within the Flux Analysis: What are Orphans? Channel Total Hits Rising Orphans % % % % Falling Orphans % % % % Falling before Rising edge % % % % Coincidences within a single channel 1: : 53 3: 1 1: : 90 3: 1 1: : 184 1: : 130

Coincidences within a single channel: Number of times a single channel fired n-times within a "event". Strings of coincidences: Number of times a specific string of channels fired. Total Coincidences: Sum total of all coincidence strings of length n (so if n=5, we had all 5 hits in this event). Total Coincidences CoincidenceTotal Number Coincidences in the Event

What I Learned and What I Will Apply For Future Teaching I have a greater understanding of what Cosmic Rays are. More knowledge of Muons. I appreciate and understand the equipment much more due to setting it up. By attending the lectures I have a deeper understanding of cosmology and what SCIPP does, as well as Quarknet.

How to Utilize What I Have Learned I intend on setting up a program and teaching students who attend SYESA Charter about cosmic rays and muon detection. The equipment will be important for students to use while learning about the origin of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. The program will be an important step for my students who will be required to take courses such as U.C approved STEM courses, and the UCSB program: MESA which is the acronym for Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement, (MESA).

What Do I Need to Work On, Learn, and Review? More information on how to analyze data. Study and understand cosmic rays. Review and work on mathematics skills. Review of statistics. Practice using equipment.