International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 11 Issue: 09 | Sep 2024
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
Cosmic Muon Detection Using Cherenkov Radiation: A Novel Approach with Arduino Integration Arushi Ahuja1 1Student, Kunskapsskolan Gurgaon, Haryana, India
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Abstract - A muon is another entity categorized as a
Cosmic muons exist as mere by-products of cosmic ray collisions with the particles in the Earth's atmosphere. Over ten thousand cosmic muons reach every square meter of the Earth's surface each minute. Experimental findings about cosmic muons indirectly provide us with information about the properties of cosmic rays.
lepton among the many elementary particles. Like an electron, a muon consists of a charge of -1e and a spin of ½, but with greater mass. Muons exist as mere by-products of cosmic ray collisions with the particles in the Earth's atmosphere. Over ten thousand cosmic muons reach every square meter of the Earth's surface each minute. Experimental findings about cosmic muons indirectly provide us with information about the properties of cosmic rays. The purpose of this project is to propose an innovative and unique method of detecting cosmic muons. This method utilizes the emission of Cherenkov radiation as an indicator for detecting cosmic muons. Cherenkov radiation's emission occurs when a charged particle travels through a dielectric medium at a speed faster than that of light in a vacuum. The emission of a characteristic blue light can identify it. The experimental setup proposed in this project consists of photodiodes in a light-proof container filled with water to detect these blue light pulses. Since cosmic muons will travel faster than light in water, they will emit blue light pulses, confirming their detection. In order to make the inquiry automated, the light pulses are counted via an Arduino circuit. Furthermore, a predictive machine learning model is developed to predict the number of pulses detected (~120 in one hour).
1.1 Background Muons have been the subject of intense scientific research for their unique properties and practical applications. They have been instrumental in experimental tests of time dilation, enabling nuclear fusion at room temperatures, and creating alternate (muonic) versions of atoms. In a recent breakthrough, cosmic muon radiography has aided archaeologists in navigating corridors inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, showcasing the diverse applications of muons in scientific research. Cherenkov radiation is emitted when electrically charged particles travel at a speed faster than that of light in a transparent medium like water. These charged particles excite the water molecules in their path, which causes photons to be released and emit blue or violet light. Since the particles are moving faster than the speed of sound, they create a "shockwave" of visible light. An analogy to explain this phenomenon would be the sonic boom generated by a supersonic aircraft. Just as the sound waves generated by an aircraft are slower than the aircraft itself, creating a sonic boom, the photons emitted by the charged particles in Cherenkov radiation are slower than the particles, creating a similar shockwave of light.
Key Words: Machine Learning, Cosmic Muon, Arduino
1.INTRODUCTION Like an electron, a muon consists of a charge of -1e and a spin of ½, but with greater mass (~207 times). Since it is a lepton, it does not contain any other particles. Hence, it is a fundamental particle. It has a mean lifetime of 2.2 μs, much longer than other elementary particles. Due to being an elementary particle, its decay is only mediated by weak interaction forces and is slow.
The discovery of Cherenkov radiation in 1958 by the esteemed scientist Pavel Cherenkov was a pivotal moment in the field of physics. During an experiment, his keen observations led him to observe a bluish light around a radioactive preparation. These observations, coupled with his understanding of the anisotropy of the radiation, led him to conclude that the bluish glow was not a fluorescent phenomenon, but a new and significant discovery in the world of physics.
Moreover, a muon decay almost always produces at least three particles (electrons and two types of neutrinos). In an electromagnetic field, muons accelerate slower than electrons due to greater mass, providing them the required energy to penetrate materials far more profoundly than an electron. Due to this inherent property, a cosmic muon can penetrate the atmosphere, reach Earth's land surface, and even into deep mines.
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1.2 Emission Angle In the given figure (Fig 1.1), the charged particle (red arrow) travels with speed Vp through the medium. The
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