KORSTMOS: Cosmic Research Radboud Student Array

Measurement set-ups

Scintillator detectors

The Earth is continuously irradiated with particles from space. It is not clear where all these particles come from. The particles collide with the Earth's atmosphere and cause an avalanche of new particles. We use various measuring setups to measure these particle avalanches. This gives us information about the particle that collided with the atmosphere and where it came from. We use different techniques and therefore different setups.

The ski boxes that are spread across the field contain scintillator plates. When a particle from the particle avalanche passes through such a plate, it causes a very weak flash of light. This flash of light can only be measured if no light from outside can reach it. That is why the setups are stored in ski boxes in a waterproof and light-tight manner.

The different distances between the scintillator detectors allow us to gather information about the particle that collided with the atmosphere and caused the avalanche of particles. We can find out what type of particle it was, what its energy (speed) was and from which direction the particle came. In combination with the knowledge of stars and galaxies, we hope to discover the source of these particles.

Radio detector

The particles in the particle avalanche emit radio waves. If you turn on an FM radio, and you receive noise, some of this noise is caused by particle avalanches. By precisely tuning into the radio frequency of a particle avalanche, we can gather information about the particle that collided with the atmosphere and caused the avalanche of particles. The different metal triangles in the mast are different antennas. This makes it possible to measure the radio waves in three directions. This gives us additional information to find out what type of particle came from space, what its energy (speed) was and what direction it came from. The antenna used comes from the GRAND project.

Cherenkov detectors

The oil barrels contain plastic barrels with water. When a particle from the particle avalanche passes through the water, it causes a very weak flash of light. This flash of light is called Cherenkov light, named after its discoverer. The flash of light can only be measured if no light from outside can reach it. That is why the water is light-tight in an oil barrel. The different distances between the Cherenkov detectors allow us to gather information about the particle that collided with the atmosphere and caused the avalanche of particles. We can find out what type of particle it was, what its energy (speed) was and from which direction the particle came. In combination with the knowledge of stars and galaxies, we hope to discover the source of these particles.