Misure della variazione del flusso dei raggi cosmici con l'altitudine per mezzo di un pallone aerostatico

Our target is to measure cosmic ray flux at different altitudes, with didactic detector. The detector is based on project “muon detector” presented on website www.astroparticelle.it . The idea is to use 2 fluorescent tube lamps. When a muon hits the detector, it ionizes some atoms of gas of the lamp. Putting an electric tension (order of 1 kV) outside the tube with electrodes spaced 10cm each other, the ionized atom goes toward one electrode. If ionized atom hit glass produces lamp, as internal surface of these lamps are coated with fluorescent powder. First step is looking lamp with human eyes. Second step: we would automatize muons detection. To observe lamps we put a light sensor for each sector of the detector (the sections are 5 for each tube). To discriminate environmental radioactive event we use a coincidence method: if we see an event in each tube we assume that this is a cosmic ray, because in general only a cosmic ray has sufficient energy to pass to the second lamp. The apparatus is controlled by a microcontroller board Arduino. To measure cosmic ray flux at different altitudes the detector will be uplift with a balloon filled with helium gas. It is under study a communication system and a GPS localization system to reach more control of balloon flight. The project has important educational purpose: students can approach to modern physics with simple detector that can be reproduced with everyday equipments. It gives us the opportunity to teach some simple electronic components: diode, transistor and photodiode and/or photoresistor