Measuring Muon Flux as a Dependent on Barometric Pressure
Measuring Muon Flux as a Dependent on Barometric Pressure
Bryan Wegrzyn (Henry Ford II High School), Ian Homsy (University Liggett School)
Mike Niedballa (Wayne State University)
Gil Paz (Wayne State University)
The purpose of our research is to determine whether muon flux is affected by
change in barometric pressure. We chose to do this experiment after we couldn’t find
many papers about it on the Cosmic e-lab website and after realizing that the Data
Acquisition Board (DAQ) had a built in barometer. We hypothesized that as we saw the
pressure go up, we would see the rate of muon flux go down. We theorised this as
higher air pressure is associated with higher air density which would cause more muons
to hit particles in the air. We set up the experiment by first stacking two counters right on
top of one another. The barometer on the DAQ was then calibrated and testing began.
We usually ran tests twice a day, once from morning till evening and then another
overnight. In all we collected 644 data points of flux recordings which were taken every
ten minutes. We then synced the data points from the flux test with the blessing chart of
the barometric pressure and documented them in a spreadsheet.
Graphing these points we came up with an equation of y=-1.375x+10119 with an R2 value of 0.0018.
While the negative slope agreed with our prediction, we weren’t certain our data was signifcant.
An ANOVA test was then done to look at variance among the flux at each barometric
pressure recorded. This test returned a p value of 0.376 and an F and critical F of 1.08
and 1.80 respectively. Because the p value was higher the set value of 0.05 and the F
was smaller than the critical F, we concluded that our study yielded no significant
relationship between flux and barometric pressure. This, however does not mean that
there isn’t one. If further time was allotted it would be possible to collect even more data
points and to track a greater range of pressures allowing for a more full look into the
possibility of a relationship.
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