Rethinking muon detection: First steps in design and discovery
Beginning the detector design I am David, a fifth-year pre-university student (5 vwo) from the Netherlands with a passion for physics and an interest in uncovering what normally passes right through us: cosmic particles. Over the coming year, I will be working on the development of a new type of muon detector for a public observatory in the Netherlands. The intended outcome is twofold, since the final design should not only be a new kind of detector that is capable of reliably detecting muons but also be suitable for use during lectures and educational events at the observatory. The first phase begins with a prototype based on conventional plastic scintillators. To test the system in a controlled setting, I will use a small piece of radioactive material — a radium watch hand. These were in the early 20th century to make watch faces glow in the dark. Once I have successfully built and tested the prototype, as I aim for by May 2025, I will begin designing a new type of detector that mo...