The SKA particle array prototype: The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory

J. D. Bray; A. Williamson; J. Schelfhout; C. W. James; R. E. Spencer; H. Chen; B. D. Cropper; D. Emrich; K. M.L. Gould; A. Haungs; W. Hodder; T. Howland; T. Huege; D. Kenney; A. McPhail; S. Mitchell; I. C. Niţu; P. Roberts; R. Tawn; J. Tickner; S. J. Tingay

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168

The SKA particle array prototype: The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory

J. D. Bray, A. Williamson, J. Schelfhout, C. W. James, R. E. Spencer, H. Chen, B. D. Cropper, D. Emrich, K. M.L. Gould, A. Haungs, W. Hodder, T. Howland, T. Huege, D. Kenney, A. McPhail, S. Mitchell, I. C. Niţu, P. Roberts, R. Tawn, J. TicknerS. J. Tingay

Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

We report on the design, deployment, and first results from a scintillation detector deployed at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO). The detector is a prototype for a larger array – the Square Kilometre Array Particle Array (SKAPA) – planned to allow the radio-detection of cosmic rays with the Murchison Widefield Array and the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array. The prototype design has been driven by stringent limits on radio emissions at the MRO, and to ensure survivability in a desert environment. Using data taken from Nov. 2018 to Feb. 2019, we characterize the detector response while accounting for the effects of temperature fluctuations, and calibrate the sensitivity of the prototype detector to through-going muons. This verifies the feasibility of cosmic ray detection at the MRO. We then estimate the required parameters of a planned array of eight such detectors to be used to trigger radio observations by the Murchison Widefield Array.

Original language	English
Article number	164168
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Volume	973
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168
Publication status	Published - 1 Sep 2020

Access to Document

10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168

Cite this

Bray, J. D., Williamson, A., Schelfhout, J., James, C. W., Spencer, R. E., Chen, H., Cropper, B. D., Emrich, D., Gould, K. M. L., Haungs, A., Hodder, W., Howland, T., Huege, T., Kenney, D., McPhail, A., Mitchell, S., Niţu, I. C., Roberts, P., Tawn, R., ... Tingay, S. J. (2020). The SKA particle array prototype: The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 973, [164168]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168

@article{8722c14a6580401c9e0a2f6404c9452b,

title = "The SKA particle array prototype: The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory",

abstract = "We report on the design, deployment, and first results from a scintillation detector deployed at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO). The detector is a prototype for a larger array – the Square Kilometre Array Particle Array (SKAPA) – planned to allow the radio-detection of cosmic rays with the Murchison Widefield Array and the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array. The prototype design has been driven by stringent limits on radio emissions at the MRO, and to ensure survivability in a desert environment. Using data taken from Nov. 2018 to Feb. 2019, we characterize the detector response while accounting for the effects of temperature fluctuations, and calibrate the sensitivity of the prototype detector to through-going muons. This verifies the feasibility of cosmic ray detection at the MRO. We then estimate the required parameters of a planned array of eight such detectors to be used to trigger radio observations by the Murchison Widefield Array.",

keywords = "Cosmic rays, Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, Murchison Widefield Array, Scintillation detectors, Square Kilometre Array",

author = "Bray, {J. D.} and A. Williamson and J. Schelfhout and James, {C. W.} and Spencer, {R. E.} and H. Chen and Cropper, {B. D.} and D. Emrich and Gould, {K. M.L.} and A. Haungs and W. Hodder and T. Howland and T. Huege and D. Kenney and A. McPhail and S. Mitchell and Ni{\c t}u, {I. C.} and P. Roberts and R. Tawn and J. Tickner and Tingay, {S. J.}",

year = "2020",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168",

language = "English",

volume = "973",

journal = "Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A",

issn = "0168-9002",

publisher = "Pergamon",

}

Bray, JD, Williamson, A, Schelfhout, J, James, CW, Spencer, RE, Chen, H, Cropper, BD, Emrich, D, Gould, KML, Haungs, A, Hodder, W, Howland, T, Huege, T, Kenney, D, McPhail, A, Mitchell, S, Niţu, IC, Roberts, P, Tawn, R, Tickner, J & Tingay, SJ 2020, 'The SKA particle array prototype: The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, vol. 973, 164168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168

The SKA particle array prototype : The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. / Bray, J. D.; Williamson, A.; Schelfhout, J. et al.

In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 973, 164168, 01.09.2020.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - The SKA particle array prototype

T2 - The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory

AU - Bray, J. D.

AU - Williamson, A.

AU - Schelfhout, J.

AU - James, C. W.

AU - Spencer, R. E.

AU - Chen, H.

AU - Cropper, B. D.

AU - Emrich, D.

AU - Gould, K. M.L.

AU - Haungs, A.

AU - Hodder, W.

AU - Howland, T.

AU - Huege, T.

AU - Kenney, D.

AU - McPhail, A.

AU - Mitchell, S.

AU - Niţu, I. C.

AU - Roberts, P.

AU - Tawn, R.

AU - Tickner, J.

AU - Tingay, S. J.

PY - 2020/9/1

Y1 - 2020/9/1

N2 - We report on the design, deployment, and first results from a scintillation detector deployed at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO). The detector is a prototype for a larger array – the Square Kilometre Array Particle Array (SKAPA) – planned to allow the radio-detection of cosmic rays with the Murchison Widefield Array and the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array. The prototype design has been driven by stringent limits on radio emissions at the MRO, and to ensure survivability in a desert environment. Using data taken from Nov. 2018 to Feb. 2019, we characterize the detector response while accounting for the effects of temperature fluctuations, and calibrate the sensitivity of the prototype detector to through-going muons. This verifies the feasibility of cosmic ray detection at the MRO. We then estimate the required parameters of a planned array of eight such detectors to be used to trigger radio observations by the Murchison Widefield Array.

AB - We report on the design, deployment, and first results from a scintillation detector deployed at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO). The detector is a prototype for a larger array – the Square Kilometre Array Particle Array (SKAPA) – planned to allow the radio-detection of cosmic rays with the Murchison Widefield Array and the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array. The prototype design has been driven by stringent limits on radio emissions at the MRO, and to ensure survivability in a desert environment. Using data taken from Nov. 2018 to Feb. 2019, we characterize the detector response while accounting for the effects of temperature fluctuations, and calibrate the sensitivity of the prototype detector to through-going muons. This verifies the feasibility of cosmic ray detection at the MRO. We then estimate the required parameters of a planned array of eight such detectors to be used to trigger radio observations by the Murchison Widefield Array.

KW - Cosmic rays

KW - Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory

KW - Murchison Widefield Array

KW - Scintillation detectors

KW - Square Kilometre Array

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085275763&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168

DO - 10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85085275763

VL - 973

JO - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A

JF - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A

SN - 0168-9002

M1 - 164168

ER -

Bray JD, Williamson A, Schelfhout J, James CW, Spencer RE, Chen H et al. The SKA particle array prototype: The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2020 Sep 1;973. 164168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164168

The SKA particle array prototype: The first particle detector at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this