GRAPES-3 Telescope Tracks Cosmic Rays to Monitor Earth's Upper Atmosphere and Sun's Magnetic Field
Researchers from Mumbai, Kochi, and Japan have utilized the GRAPES-3 telescope in Ooty, Tamil Nadu, to track how the Earth's upper atmosphere temperature and the Sun's magnetic field influence muons—subatomic particles from space. By analyzing 22 years of data, they developed a method to monitor these changes in real-time with high accuracy. The GRAPES-3 telescope functions as a muon detector, identifying high-energy muons created when cosmic rays collide with the upper atmosphere. Its unique design, featuring 16 independent modules with proportional counters and thick concrete layers, enables it to map invisible cosmic forces affecting Earth.
Key Points
- GRAPES-3 telescope is used to study the effects of Earth's upper atmosphere temperature and the Sun's magnetic field on muons.
- Researchers have developed a high-accuracy method to monitor these changes in real-time using 22 years of data.
- The telescope is located in Ooty, Tamil Nadu, and functions as a muon detector, not a traditional light telescope.
- Muons are high-energy subatomic particles produced from cosmic ray collisions in the upper atmosphere.
- The facility's design, with 16 modules and layers of proportional counters separated by concrete, allows precise tracking of muon paths and angles.
Exam Facts
- Telescope name: GRAPES-3.
- Location: Ooty, Tamil Nadu.
- Research published in: August issue of Astroparticle Physics.
- Number of independent modules: 16.
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