The demonstration for this presentation consists of a look at the ALTA-BC module,
which is made up of three scintillating photodetectors, a computer, and a GPS
timing unit. ALTA-BC is a project, started in Alberta, which hopes to set up a
huge array of detectors, with the cooperation of teachers and students, on highschool
roofs around Alberta and the Pacific Northwest. This exciting experiment will
be a unique venture in particle physics and science education! Learn
more about ALTA.
Students are first shown the computer program which detects the GPS satellites
to obtain the nanosecond timing accuracy required to link together the many ALTA
detectors that we hope will be on highschools around BC, Alberta and Washington
state. The three pohotodetectors will have been gathering data during the introductory
lecture, and this data will be displayed and explained thanks to a graphical computer
program.
Artist's impression of three
0.5 m^2 scintillators on a school roof detecting an air shower. The component
in the centre is a GPS receiver for accurate timing of each event. (Figure
by Jim Pinfold, UofA).
