Preston College Cosmic Ray Group

We are a group of students at Preston College carrying out a range of explorations and experiments in the study of the cosmic radiation and its interaction with the Earth's atmosphere.

We recognise the crucial role of cosmic ray studies in the development of modern particle physics and are keen for its contribution to be recognised and celebrated.

Our activities link a wide range of basic and advanced topics and will eventually provide an opportunity for us to take part in some active research at the cutting edge of elementary particle physics and astrophysics.

We are interested in all aspects of cosmic rays. We have developed a muon lifetime experiment, demonstrated the existence of electromagnetic cascades in lead and are currently investigating coincidences in cosmic ray detectors that are close together.

Are explorations are entirely amateur. We receive no funding for our activities and have managed to carry out our activities through the generous support of the physics departments of the universities of Leeds, Lancaster, Liverpool, Nottingham and Durham.

We are aiming to open up cosmic ray activity to other colleges and schools in the country and hence are looking for ways of producing low cost apparatus. We make much of our own electronics and develop our own computer software for controlling the apparatus and processing the data.

Pictures of us at work:

Adam inspecting the dynode chain of a photomultiplier tube to be used in one of the scintillation counters. Adam is working with Edmund on the investigation of narrow air shower phenomena.

Edmund polishing the surface of a square of plastic scintillator

Andrew working on some software.

Sumit working on some computer software. Sumit will be building photomultiplier preamps and signal discriminators.