homemade detection of cosmic muons with a photomultiplier using their cherenkov radiation

[Tishers]

The results would be more meaningful if you had two identical tubes in separate cans, stacked on top of each other. Then you take the outputs and run them in to "Schmidt triggers" (for precise edge triggering on the event) and in to a logical AND gate (two integrated circuits would do it). If a muon event passes through both detectors from the same direction there will be a coincidence in each detector can and an indication that the event is coming from above. You could separate the two detectors to make the muon path much narrower but you might end up needing to create a coaxial cable delay line to offset the speed of light in the two detectors. Otherwise you would see two separate pulses that are only a few nSec apart. But the PMT's and scintillators should have enough persistence (afterglow) to overcome that effect.

You would use integrated circuits like the 74HC series devices that are very fast. If you wrapped the two detectors in lead and put lead beneath the array you could further reduce the impact of gamma rays.

[DeluxeSlayer]

Hello, is there any way to contact you? I am planning on doing a similar project for a college course but the technicians at my Uni have limited knowledge on PMT's. I'd like to know if it's possible to connect the raw output of the signal generated by a PMT to an oscilloscope (no pulse processing) and what equipment or circuits are needed to do it. For example, is there a simple adapter that exists for the PMT with BNC connectors that I can connect to a HV power supply and the output I can just connect to an oscilloscope? I saw a post where someone uses a T-splitter I think to acquire the signal but is that necessary?

[mieszkogulinski]

Good work :) Is the number of muons varying somehow, depending on, for example, solar activity?

[yess.]

Can you show me a video with you makeing the divice

[praveenb]

Can we rule out some radioactive traces in the water?

[richardturner]

Love the music! What is the name of it and who is the composer?

[artofnick]

Is the hertz rate of the electricity too slow to catch strikes? Or is it DC? How can you rule out background radiation? or is THIS background radiation? I'm a novice at this...

[bashprmpt]

What are you using for discrimination though?

[reidbyron]

Fantastic!  I hope to perform a similar experiment as well. Cerenkov light can be produced in air as well as in water.  I do not know if the light yield from water would be higher than that of air and thus result in the higher counting efficiency you observed.  Either way you may find this article of interest:

[fizzyplazmuh]

You forgot to show us you scintillator.