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, 2010.

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?
6314.2010.0811.0
total
events
total
lines
gatewidth
10293
34335 100ns
Average hits per Event: 3.31
Within the Flux Analysis:
What are Orphans?
Channel
Total Hits
7928
908
3
9100
7928
Rising Orphans
147 1.85
%
55 0.61
%
167 1.84
%
45 - 0.57%
Falling Orphans
00.00
%
00.00
%
10.01
%
Falling before
Rising edge
00.00
%
00.00
%
00.00
%
1:
7818
2: 53
3: 1
1:
889
9
2:
90
3: 1
1:
8731
2:
184
Coincidences
within a single
channel
1 - 0.01%
1 - 0.01%
1: 7667
2: 130
Coincidences in
the Event
Total Coincidences
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).
Coincidence Total Number
1
118
2
2582
3
1827
4
5574
5
173
6
15
7
3
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.
