SLAC/QuarkNet Cosmic Ray Detector Telescope

This is the starting point for information about the SLAC/QuarkNet cosmic ray detector telescopes.

Last update: 10 October 2003

  • Information about cosmic rays, detectors, etc.
  • Construction (Summer 2003)
  • Design documents, including detailed reference information
  • CRAnE - software to collect and plot cosmic ray detector data
  • Assembly, setup and operation of SLAC/Quarknet detectors
  • Activities using the cosmic ray telescope
  • List of detectors and their status

  • Information about cosmic rays, detectors, etc.
  • "Cosmic rays: the most energetic particles in the universe"
    by James W. Cronin, Reviews of Modern Physics, Vol. 71, No. 2, Centenary 1999.
  • "The CCRT: an inexpensive cosmic ray muon detector"
    by Eric Harpell, et al, SLAC-TN-95-1, 1995.

  • Construction (Summer 2003)
  • Pictorial tour of the construction process.

  • Design documents, including detailed reference information
    The QuarkNet detector logic board was designed in a collaboration between FNAL and University of Washington. Here are some links some of the more detailed information available for this electronics:

  • Hans Berns web page on the QuarkNet board
  • University of Washington page for the QuarkNet board

  • CRAnE [Cosmic Ray Analysis Environment] - software to collect and plot cosmic ray detector data

  • "CRAnE: A JAS-based Data Acquisition System for Cosmic Rays",
    by Jennifer Docktor, Manual Reyes, et al, SLAC Technical Note SLAC-TN-04-004, describing the detector and software, including software installation instructions [pdf, doc]
  • PowerPoint presentation made by SULI students Jennifer Docktor and Manual Reyes (August 2003) [ppt]
  • The software itself (version 1.0) [zip]

  • Assembly, setup and operation of SLAC/Quarknet detectors
  • Travis Hambleton's detailed assembly instructions
  • Detailed diagrams (rather large .pdf files):
  • Logic Board and its connections
  • Photomultiplier base and its connections
  • Overall layout
  • Frequently Asked Questions

  • Activities using the cosmic ray telescope
  • Experiment 1 - Measuring zenith angle distribution of incident muons
  • Hints and Suggestions for performing Experiment 1
  • Sample data recording sheet
  • Tom's presentation from Saturday 4 October 2003

  • List of detectors and their status
  • #1 - lent 4Oct2003 Molly Uhl
  • #2 - lent 4Oct2003 Lynda Nicholson
  • #3 - lent 4Oct2003 Peter Herreshoff

    • Page maintained by Tom Glanzman. Please contact me if you find a problem with this page or its links.