Transcript PowerPoint

Cosmic Ray Research
in the Rochester Area
Susen Clark
PARTICLE lead teacher
Bioscience & Health Careers H.S. at Franklin
Professor Kevin McFarland, University of Rochester
PARTICLE PROGRAM
Physicists And Rochester Teachers
Inventing CLassroom Experiments
• Started as a QUARKNET center
• Has involved more than 25 teachers over a
5 year period
• Involves teachers from areas west of
Rochester to east of Syracuse.
• Invite 6 new teachers/summer for a 3-week
program
• Past participants return for a 1 week
institute
The Goals of PARTICLE:
• Help local teachers learn more about
high energy physics
• Provide teachers with equipment for
lab work during their Modern Physics
unit
• Get students to do research in high
school
• Expose students to work of research
scientists
PARTICLE Teacher Summer
Institutes
• Program:
– ⅜ Lecture and Discussion
• Taxonomy and big picture of particle physics
– Including experimental methods, lab tours, etc.
• Other modern physics: relativity, quantum mechanics
– ½ Lab work
• Construct cosmic ray telescopes
• Prototype student labs
– ⅛ Discussion of Pedagogy, Classroom
Applications
Particle Program
• During the school year:
– Professor Kevin McFarland (U of R) or
the PARTICLE graduate student visits
schools during the year to talk to
students about various topics including
the classroom research of students
Particle Program
• During the school year:
– Teachers have access to a shared
equipment pool
• Cloud chamber
• Laminated lead for
absorption study
• E/m apparatus
• Speed of light apparatus
• Photoelectric effect apparatus
PARTICLE Day
• Culminating Experience
Held in mid-May
Students present their research
Powerpoint or poster format
University professors give a few lectures
Students tour labs including the Laser
Energetics Lab
Student Work at Franklin
• Inner city high school
• Physics is a semester
course for juniors
• First time completing an authentic
research project
• Students work in groups of 3 or 4 to
investigate a topic of their choice.
Attacking the Research
Project
• Students complete individual
research to investigate cosmic rays.
• Find topics of interest.
• Sign up for lab time.
• Gather data.
• Analyze the data (excel).
• Prepare presentations.
Work at Pittsford Mendon
• Joe Willie’s students at Pittsford Mendon
http://pittsfordschools.org/webpages/jwillie/
• Data collected around time of solar
flare.
Mendon Research 2003
2/28 - 3/17 Mendon Muon Run
Muon Rate (Hz)
• Single 3-week data run.
• Three class projects:
– Muon rate vs. pressure
– Muon rate vs. time of day
– Muon rate vs. geomag. Activity
3.55
3.5
3.45
y = -0.0561x + 9.0124
R2 = 0.327
3.4
3.35
3.3
3.25
3.2
3.15
99
99.5
100
100.5
101
101.5
102
102.5
Barometric Pressure (kilopascals)
• (Using NOAA internet data)
'03 Mendon Muon Run: K index analysis
Muon Rate vs. Time of Day
3.4
3.37
3.38
3.365
3.36
Pressure Corrected Muon Rate (Hz)
Pressure Corrected Muon Rate (Hz)
3.36
3.355
3.35
3.345
3.34
3.34
y = -0.0205x + 3.3911
R2 = 0.9759
3.32
3.3
3.28
3.335
3.26
3.33
3.24
0
3.325
0
5
10
15
Time of day (Hours)
20
25
1
2
3
4
K index
5
6
7
Work by other students . . .
•
Location, location, location
– Rooftop vs. basement
– NY vs. SLAC
– (Airplane, Space Shuttle)
•
Variation of muon rate with:
–
–
–
–
•
Pressure
Temperature
Direction
Solar Activity
The list is expanding . . .
Greece Arcadia
student measures
cosmic rays beneath
swimming pool
420
390
360
330
300
270
240
210
180
150
– Lead
– Water
90
Material absorption/shielding
120
•
– Students’ value - 2.16 s
60
Muon Lifetime
30
•
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
-40
Where do we go from here?
• Jesse Chvojka, PARTICLE graduate
student, has received a grant to work with
several high schools on count rate vs.
elevation by collecting data from plane
rides.
• Students across the greater Rochester
area are completing research that will be
presented at PARTICLE day in May.
• Recruiting new teachers for the summer of
2004.
Web Sites
• http://pas.rochester.edu/particle
• http://pittsfordschools.org/webpages/jwillie
PARTICLE
• PARTICLE is supported by:
– National Science Foundation
– Research Corporation
– Quarknet
– Department of Energy