Faculty Sponsor
Shirvel Stanislaus
College
Arts and Sciences
Discipline(s)
Physics and Astronomy
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
5-3-2014
Abstract
Cosmic rays are high-energy charged particles that enter the Earth’s atmosphere from space. The cosmic ray particles, specifically muons and electrons, interact with matter through electromagnetic forces. Measurements are taken to determine the energy spectrum of these incoming cosmic rays and its variance with the angle of these rays. The experimental setup is composed of two plastic scintillators and a NaI detector programmed into coincidence with each other. The plastic scintillators have been set up in both horizontal and vertical orientations and are used to measure the direction of the incoming cosmic rays, while the NaI detector measures the energy deposited by the cosmic ray in the detector. Data is currently being taken and the completed results will be presented.
Recommended Citation
Mattson, Laura, "Measuring the Cosmic Ray Energy Spectrum" (2014). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 342.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/342
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Laura Mattson is a senior majoring in physics and Chinese and Japanese studies and minoring in mathematics. She is also a member of Christ College.