Muons

Main article: Universe

2023: Muons as Key to the Mysteries of the Universe: The Advances of Physicists at MEPhI in the Study of Cosmic Rays

Egor Zadeba shared with the project "MAGNIT: everything about science and technology" (implemented within the framework of the federal program "Popularization of Science" with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation) the successes of domestic science. Associate Professor of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI Yegor Zadeba, together with the team, contributed to the study of the fundamental properties of the Universe, investigating the flows of elementary particles of high energies from the depths of space.

Associate Professor of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI Egor Zadeba

As representatives of the MAGNIT: All About Science and Technology project told on September 29, 2023, the main object of study for Yegor Zadeba is muons - elementary particles that arise in the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere during the interaction of primary cosmic radiation with air atoms. By analyzing the flow features of these particles, scientists can obtain unique information about the physical processes that occur in the most remote corners of the universe.

To register muons in MEPhI, an experimental installation "Nevod" is used - a detector with a volume of 2000 cubic meters, filled with purified distilled water. When the muon passes through this volume of water, the effect of Cherenkov's glow occurs - a visible blue glow, which is recorded by special light-sensitive sensors.

This experimental complex was originally designed for deep-sea experiments, but in the 80s it was decided to use it to measure the neutrino flux on the Earth's surface. Since then, Nevod has become a key tool for studying not only neutrinos, but also muons - particles that make up cosmic rays.

Modern science faces a mystery known as the "muon riddle." This phenomenon consists in the fact that an inexplicably large number of muons are found in atmospheric showers created by cosmic rays. Traditional physical models cannot explain this excess, and this is where Nevod contributes to science. This experimental complex was able to reveal that behind the excess muons are super-powerful high-energy space events inaccessible to current accelerators.

Egor Zadeba

These studies have already found practical application. With the help of muon detectors, it was possible to find unknown premises in the Cheops pyramid that could not be found by other methods. In addition, muon diagnostics make it possible to study atmospheric phenomena and predict magnetic storms, which is of great importance for space weather and can have far-reaching consequences for satellite communications and other technologies.

The essence of the work of Yegor and his team is not limited to research. They are engaged in the development and creation of equipment for their experiments. Using quasi-spherical modules, the team was able to develop a detector that not only records light from all directions, but also detects where the particle came from. This configuration has proved so effective that similar systems are now used in other countries.

There is a lot of engineering work behind this work. About 4 kilometers of cable are laid in the room alone, and each element of the detector undergoes a multi-stage check. This process is possible thanks to a special approach to training specialists. The physics engineers who work on the project have not only deep knowledge of physics, but also engineering skills. This allows them not only to develop theoretical models, but also to translate them into real physical installations.

For September 2023, Yegor Zadeba is leading the creation of a fundamentally large-scale detector TRACK - a three-dimensional coordinate camera that will record the trajectories of individual muons with unprecedented accuracy. This will allow us to move on to microscopic examination of the properties of cosmic rays, which will be an important step in the study of the structure of matter.