High-resolution mapping of secondary cosmic rays with miniaturised stacked pixel telescope
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14311/AP.2025.65.0016Keywords:
cosmic rays, particle tracking, radiation imaging, particle telescope, pixel detectorsAbstract
We performed detailed measurements of the secondary cosmic ray field in the lower atmosphere (at 200 m). We use a miniaturised particle telescope consisting of two closely stacked synchronised Timepix3 detectors. Position-, spectral-, and time-sensitive particle tracking provides enhanced particle-type resolving power and high angular resolution mapping of charged particles. Evaluation and calibration of the telescope synchronised tracking and directional response was performed with proton and electron beams. The telescope architecture, modeled angular response and developed data analysis provide accurate composition characterisation and high-angular resolution directional mapping of the charged particle component. In particular, the muon component can be resolved to a high degree over the photon and electron components in the lower atmosphere. The muon angular flux is measured in a wide field of view with enhanced discrimination.
Downloads
References
L. I. Dorman. Cosmic rays in the Earth’s atmosphere and underground. Springer, New York, USA, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2113-8
A. Merlot, A. J. Krejci, B. C. Thomas, et al. Atmospheric consequences of cosmic-ray variability in the extragalactic shock model. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 113:E10007, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JE003206
D. Atri, A. L. Melott. Cosmic rays and terrestrial life: A brief review. Astroparticle physics 53:186–190, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2013.03.001
L. O. Bjorn, R. L. McKenzie. Photobiology: The Science of Life and Light, chap. Ozone depletion and the effects of ultraviolet radiation. Springer, New York, USA, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-72655-7_19
M. Rockenbach, A. D. Lago, N. J. Schuch, et al. Global muon detector network used for space weather applications. Space Science Review 182(1):1–18, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-014-0048-4
A. Chilingarian, G. Hovsepyan, K. Arakelyan, et al. Space environmental viewing and analysis network (SEVAN). Earth, Moon, and Planets 104(1):195–210, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11038-008-9288-1
C. Granja, J. Jakubek, P. Soukup, et al. Spectral tracking of energetic charged particles in wide field-of-view with miniaturized telescope MiniPIX Timepix3 1 × 2 stack. Journal of Instrumentation 17:C03028, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/17/03/C03028
T. Poikela, J. Plosila, T. Westerlund, et al. Timepix3: a 65K channel hybrid pixel readout chip with simultaneous ToA/ToT and sparse readout. Journal of Instrumentation 9:C05013, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/9/05/C05013
C. Granja, J. Jakubek, P. Soukup, et al. MiniPIX Timepix3 – a miniaturized radiation camera with onboard data processing for online characterization of wide-intensity mixed-radiation fields. Journal of Instrumentation 17:C03019, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/17/03/C03019
Advacam. PIXET software tool for operation and readout of pixel detectors Timepix/Medipix, 2015.
C. Granja, J. Jakubek, S. Polansky, et al. Resolving power of pixel detector Timepix for wide-range electron, proton and ion detection. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 908:60–71, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.08.014
J. Jakubek, A. Cejnarova, T. Holy, et al. Pixel detectors for imaging with heavy charged particles. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 591(1):155–158, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2008.03.091
T. Holy, E. Heijne, J. Jakubek, et al. Pattern recognition of tracks induced by individual quanta of ionizing radiation in Medipix2 silicon detector. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 591(1):287–290, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2008.03.074
L. Marek, C. Granja, J. Jakubek, et al. Data processing engine (DPE): Data analysis tool for particle tracking and mixed radiation field characterization with pixel detectors Timepix. Journal of Instrumentation 19:C04026, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/19/04/C04026
C. Granja, J. Solc, J. Gajewski, et al. Composition and spectral characterization of mixed-radiation fields with enhanced discrimination by quantum imaging detection. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science 71(4):921–931, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2024.3369972
C. Granja, K. Kudela, J. Jakubek, et al. Directional detection of charged particles and cosmic rays with the miniaturized radiation camera MiniPIX Timepix. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 911:142–152, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.09.140
C. Granja, P. Krist, D. Chvatil, et al. Energy loss and online directional track visualization of fast electrons with the pixel detector Timepix. Rad Measurements 59:245–261, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2013.07.006
B. Bergmann, T. Billoud, P. Burian, et al. Particle tracking and radiation field characterization with Timepix3 in ATLAS. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 978:164401, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164401
J. Beringer, J. F. Arguin, R. M. Barnett, et al. Review of particle physics. Physical Review D 86:010001, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.86.010001
Downloads
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Carlos Granja, Herve Chanal, Václav Zach, David Chvátil, Cristina Oancea, Dušan Poklop, Václav Olšanský, Jan Jakůbek

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.