COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

OF COSMIC RAY
OBSERVATIONS
2019/11/15-16

T. Đukez, L.Horvat, L. Špralja, M. Dvorski, S. Primc, D. Gržinić, D. Krivić, J. Dragić, J. Doring, L. Rakijar
 What are Cosmic Rays?
● high-energy particles
● they can be made out of protons, alpha particles, HZE ions and
electrons, positrons, etc.
● v≈299,792,039 m/s ≈ 99.99985887% c
 Objectives of Our Research

● to find out where cosmic rays come

from
● to figure out the fluctuation of cosmic
rays throughout the day
● to calculate the average velocity of
cosmic rays
● to find out how we detect them in the
first place
 History of Cosmic Rays

1. Victor Hess 1912. - electroscope sent in the air

2. Dmitry Skobelzyn 1929. - cloud chamber
3. S. Neddermeyer and C. Anderson 1927. - muon
4. Auguste Piccard 1931. - first man in stratosphere
5. Pierre Auger 1938. - ”air showers”
 Primary Cosmic Rays
● mostly high energy protons and atomic nuclei
● when primary cosmic rays hit other atomic nuclei in the
atmosphere, they create a cascade of particles that become
secondary cosmic rays
● primary cosmic rays collide with interstellar matter to form new
elements
Sources of Cosmic Rays
Secondary cosmic rays
 Detectors of Cosmic Rays

Particle to charge conversion

CCD detector
A/D conversion
 Camera that We Used

Moravian G4 Mark
II
G4-9000
3056X3056 px
36.7X36.7 mm
 Our Research Methods

● 60 second composite images

● the pictures would then be processed in Astroart
and then counted manually
Altitude dependant variation of number of cosmic
 Effects of Magnetic Field on Cosmic
Rays
● different types of orbits -
depend on particle energy
● energy of geomagnetic cutoff -
E₀
1. Low energy particles -
moving in semi-circular path,
E<E₀
2. Intermediate energy
particles - moving along a
curved path, E>E₀
3. High energy particles -
moving along a nearly straight
path, E →∞
 Effects of Magnetic Fields on Cosmic
Rays
● Experimental data - easier for particle to enter in
magnetosphere near poles than near the Equator
● Earth’s magnetic field - works as a shield from cosmic
rays
Energy flux of primary cosmic
 Effects on Organisms

● ⅓ of the natural radiation on Earth comes

from cosmic rays
● organisms on Earth are adapted to this
radiation and its effect on cells is relatively
benign
● astronauts exposed to much higher doses of
cosmic radiation
 The Solar Cycle
● a periodic change in the Sun's activity
● the Sun’s magnetic field is unstable and the
poles are switching places
● 1 solar cycle = 11 years
● the Sun’s heliosphere protects us from
cosmic rays.
Our findings
 Conclusions

● cosmic ray activity increases throughout the

day
● 2983 cosmic rays detected over 6 hours
● 285 cosmic rays/m^2/s
● cosmic rays come from all directions
● manual counting of cosmic rays is time
consuming and imprecise, the process should
be automated
 Thank you for your attention!

Thanks to our mentors: Korado Korlević, Fox

Valentine and Vedran!
 References
● https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/study-suns-magnetic-fi
eld-is-weakening/articleshow/71471608.cms
● https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_1
● https://watchers.news/2019/02/27/cosmic-rays-in-earth-atmosphe
re-intensifying-for-the-fourth-year-in-a-row/
● https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hector_Durand-Manterola/publication/
230775145_Lithium_generated_by_cosmic_rays_an_estimator_of_the_tim
e_that_Mars_hada_thicker_atmosphere_and_liquid_water/links/54624574
0cf2cb7e9da64a30/Lithium-generated-by-cosmic-rays-an-estimator-of-the-
time-that-Mars-had-a-thicker-atmosphere-and-liquid-water.pdf
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Francis_Hess#Cosmic_rays
● https://repozitorij.pmf.unizg.hr/islandora/object/pmf%3A550/datastream/PD
F/view