The Earth is continuously bombarded by high energy particles coming from outer space. These particles generate showers in the atmosphere. Large scientific collaborations are studying the rates of the (ultra) high energy showers.

In HiSparc cosmic ray detectors are placed on schools. These detectors are delivered as DIY kits. You build the systems yourselves. The kit contains all the parts needed build the system including cables, material to fix the boxes to the roof, etc. All your school needs to provide is power, a PC and an internet connection. The system comes either with 2 or with 4 detectors.

There are HiSparc systems operating in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Vietnam and Austria. The data of all detectors is written to a central database. You work in a large international collaboration where you share all the data and all analysis tools. You develop these yourself in JAVA.

Some of the simple physics you can study includes measuring rates as a function of energy, rate variations as a function of the time of day, rate versus latitude, angular dependence of showers, looking for sources, etc. Many HiSparc systems now also have a weather station integrated as there are many models predicting different rates of cosmic particles depending on the weather; especially thunder storms. As another example, there are serious physics models that predict energetic showers occurring simultaneously that are separated by up to ~40km. Currently, there are not many detector systems that can measure those.

To do the research you need to understand the physics. HiSparc also provides lots of material to teach you relativity, quantum mechanics, particle physics, astro physics and detector physics. You will do serious, new research. There are annual international conferences and serious research results are published.

HiSparc is active in Bristol. If you are interested, please contact schools@phy.bris.ac.uk

There is more information for teachers.

Read more about HiSparc.