URL: https://physik-begreifen-zeuthen.desy.de/offers/cosmic_particles/experiments/polarstern_project/index_eng.html
.
Breadcrumb Navigation

Polarstern Project
The measurement of cosmic particles on board of the "Polarstern" has many advantages. Due to the Earth's magnetosphere, the fraction of cosmic particles with lower energy will be distracted to the poles. This results in a lower particle rate around the equator. The measurement of this latitude effect is a simple but efficient method to estimate the detector sensitivity. The main advantage is however that these detectors are the only ones taking data at almost all latitude positions on sea, and therefore are an excellent supplement to the worldwide cosmic weather observations.
The current position of the "Polarstern" can be found here. Since 2012 a scintillation detector and a mini neutron monitor are also installed at the German Neumayer Station III in the Antarctica.
Setup of the Muon Detector (2012-2016)
|
|
Muons passing the 25x25 cm2 scintillator generate a signal read-out by a PMT. Only if both scintillators show a signal at the same time, the event will be accepted as a traversing muon. This coincidence condition ensures the reduction of false signals.
Setup of the Muon Detector (since 2017)
Setup of the Mini Neutron Monitor
A detailed description of neutron monitors and how they work is given in the glossary. |
|
Data Structure
Possible Student Exercises
- Analyse existing dependencies between particle rate and latitude position for both detectors (key word: geomagnetic cut-off).
- Visualise the position of the "Polarstern" using the latitude and longitude variables. With the given information on the vessels's time and position, its velocity can be calculated and its path recreated.
- Investigate the particle rate's dependency on weather conditions.
- Compare the weather conditions in different areas (equator, Arctic, Antarctica) for different years.
- Search for strong solar eruptions which can lead to a sudden increase of the particle rate.
- Compare the particle rates with data from other experiments (neutron monitors, satellites) measuring the particle flux of the Sun.
- Compare the data with the data from the muon detector and the mini neutron monitor at the Neumayer III station.