BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CERN//INDICO//EN BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Compact scintillator-based neutron spectrometers for use in aviati on and space applications DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T084500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T090500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T101237Z UID:indico-contribution-653-3821@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Miles Kidson (University of Cape Town)\nCosmic radia tion\, composed of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs)\, Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs)\, and their associated secondary particles\, represents a recogniz ed radiation risk to space missions\, satellites\, and air travel. To impr ove risk assessment models in these contexts\, it is essential to measure the various components of the radiation environment at the specific locati on of interest\, particularly during unexpected high-energy space weather events. Secondary neutrons\, with characteristic spectral features around 1 MeV and 100 MeV\, are produced by cosmic ray interactions with matter an d contribute substantially to overall radiation exposure at flight altitud es and in space. Neutrons pose a particular hazard to biological tissue be cause they interact directly with atomic nuclei\, producing energetic\, de nsely ionizing recoil particles that induce DNA damage. Continuous monitor ing of radiation environments aboard aircraft and spacecraft using active radiation detectors would provide key data for improved risk assessment.\n \nCurrent neutron spectrometry technologies\, such as Bonner sphere system s or liquid organic scintillators coupled to photomultiplier tubes\, are n ot well suited for use outside the laboratory. This work aims to develop a compact detector system based on plastic scintillators and silicon photom ultipliers that is robust\, portable\, and suitable for non-expert use. A prototype spectrometer has been constructed for operation in high-energy n eutron fields. Accurate spectrometry using unfolding techniques relies on well-characterized detector response functions covering the full energy ra nge of interest. The high-energy neutron facility at iThemba LABS in Cape Town\, South Africa\, provides a unique opportunity to directly measure de tector response functions up to 200 MeV.\n\nWe present progress toward the development of a novel detector system for high-energy neutron spectromet ry in aviation and space environments\, as well as in accelerator faciliti es such as proton therapy centres. Detector design\, calibration methodolo gy\, and planned field testing are discussed.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.z a/event/139/contributions/3821/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3821/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Estimation of the composition of the primary cosmic ray particles by measurements of the cosmic ray muon component DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T082500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T084500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T101237Z UID:indico-contribution-653-3814@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Veronicah Kihagi (Kenyatta University)\nThe primary cosmic ray particles constitute 85% protons\, 12% helium\, 3% iron\, and h eavier elements. They interact with the Earth's atmosphere\, producing sec ondary particles known as Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Among the particles produced in EAS are pions and kaons\, which subsequently decay into muons . Cosmic ray muons form the main part of cosmic ray particles that reach o n the earth's surface. The lateral distribution of cosmic ray muon coincid ences is often used to model and understand the development of the EAS in the earth’s atmosphere. In this work\, the lateral distribution of cosmi c ray muons was investigated using two-fold coincidences. Four detectors w ere positioned at two-fold coincidence separated at regular intervals. The coincidence rate was between these detector stations was measured. The me asured data was compared with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of EAS. The EPO S and GHEISHA models were used for high and low-energy particle interactio ns respectively. The analyses indicate the following composition of primar y cosmic ray: protons (81±0.01) %\, helium (10±0.04) %\, and iron and he avier elements (9±5.88) %. The knowledge gained from the lateral distribu tion of cosmic ray muons is essential for the understanding of the interac tion of cosmic ray particles and the development of extensive air showers. Furthermore\, this information enhances our understanding of the chemical composition of primary cosmic ray particles.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.z a/event/139/contributions/3814/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3814/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Extreme Energy Events Project: A National Network of MRPC Muon Tel escopes for Cosmic-Ray Physics and Science in Schools DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T101237Z UID:indico-contribution-653-3833@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Marco Garbini (Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro S tudi e Ricerche "Enrico Fermi"\, Roma)\nThe Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Pr oject is an innovative cosmic-ray experiment that combines frontier astrop article physics with a large-scale educational mission. EEE is built aroun d a network of muon telescopes based on Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers\ , distributed across Italy and hosted primarily in high schools. One of th e defining features of the experiment is the direct involvement of student s and teachers in many stages of the scientific process\, from detector co nstruction and commissioning to monitoring\, data taking\, and analysis. \ n\nEEE addresses several key topics in cosmic-ray physics\, including meas urements of the secondary muon flux at ground level\, the observation of e xtensive air showers\, and the study of correlations between distant event s through synchronized observations over a wide geographical area. The dis tributed nature of the array\, together with centralized reconstruction an d analysis\, makes EEE an effective observatory for investigating both loc al and large-scale features of cosmic radiation.\nIn 2018\, the EEE scient ific program was further extended through the PolarquEEEst initiative\, wh ich introduced compact scintillator-based detectors to perform cosmic-ray measurements at very high geomagnetic latitudes. The first campaign explor ed the latitude dependence of the secondary cosmic-ray flux up to the Sval bard archipelago\, and in 2019 three detectors were installed at Ny-Ålesu nd (Svabard) enabling long-term monitoring of muons in an extreme environm ent. This extension broadened the scientific reach of EEE toward high-lati tude studies\, with potential connections to atmospheric and environmental phenomena\, while preserving the project's emphasis on compact instrument ation and distributed measurements.\n\nThe talk will provide an overview o f the EEE scientific program\, the detector and network architecture\, and selected physics results\, while also discussing the broader impact of th e project as a model of research-driven education. EEE demonstrates that a school-based infrastructure can produce meaningful scientific results whi le at the same time fostering scientific culture\, hands-on training\, and long-term collaborative communities in experimental physics.\n\nhttps://i ndico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3833/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3833/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Cosmic rays – origin\, composition\, interactions and applicatio ns DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T073000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260624T101237Z UID:indico-contribution-653-3816@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nadir Hashim (Kenyatta University)\nThis presentatio n highlights the origin of cosmic radiation\, their interactions in the ea rth’s atmosphere\, their measurements and their applications. The work b y Theodore Wulf and Victor Hess showed increased rates ionization with hei ght above the ground. This observation led to the conclusion that the sour ce of ionization is not from the earth but from space. That marked the dis covery of cosmic radiation. Over the years\, there has been extensive rese arch work carried out in order to understand cosmic radiation. It is now k nown that the primary cosmic ray particles comprise of about 85% protons\, 12% helium\, 3% iron and other heavier elements. These primary cosmic ray particles interact with nuclei in the earth’s atmosphere to produce sec ondary particles such as kaons\, pions\, neutrons. The kaons and pions dec ay into muons which further decay into electrons. Neutrinos are produced i n these decay processes. Experimental data shows that the all-particle cos mic ray energy spectrum follows a simple power law with a spectral index o f about 2.7. However\, the value of the spectral index changes at cosmic r ay energies of about 10^6 GeV – known as the “knee” region and 10^9 GeV known as the “ankle” region. The bending of the spectrum at the kn ee region is attributed to the varied energy loses due to the difference i n masses of the cosmic ray particles at those energies. Cosmic ray particl es with energies beyond 10^9 GeV have been observed by several experiments . These are known as Ultra-High-Energy-Cosmic-Ray (UHECR) particles. The U HECR particles are thought to be of extra-galactic origin. These particles lose a large fraction of their energies when they interact with photons f rom the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR). This leads to a dras tic cut-off on the cosmic ray energy spectrum – known as the Greisen-Zat sepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cut-off. The earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield for charged cosmic ray particles. Exposure to cosmic radiation is therefor e not only dependent on the altitude but also on the latitude on the earth surface. The dose due to cosmic radiation is minimum around the equator a nd increases as one moves away from the equator. On the earth surface\, co smic radiation comprises mostly of cosmic ray muons. These cosmic ray muon s are useful in imaging large structures like volcanos and pyramids on the earth. They are also useful in security applications and in the nuclear i ndustry. In the field of agricultural science\, the flux of cosmic ray neu trons on the earth surface provides a reliable and efficient means of moni toring the moisture content of the soil. The knowledge of cosmic radiation in our earth’s atmosphere and on the earth has applications in diverse fields of science and technology in support of our development goals at th e national\, regional and global levels.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/eve nt/139/contributions/3816/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3816/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR