Study of small variations in the atmosphere in the cosmic ray muon flux
https://doi.org/10.26583/vestnik.2025.3.3
EDN: JLJUPO
Abstract
This paper presents a method for analyzing data from cosmic-ray muon detectors, enabling the detection of subtle flux variations that are indistinguishable in the integral muon count rate. The method requires detectors capable of distinguishing muons by their azimuthal arrival angles and, for optimal performance, multiple independent detectors with similar characteristics. A key feature of the proposed approach is that it considers not only the amplitude of the signal (reflecting muon flux variations) but also its direction, which can be correlated with the spatial characteristics of variation sources, such as atmospheric phenomena. Each step of the method is illustrated using the example of a warm front approaching Moscow, as well as an atmospheric event accompanied by a cloud line. Additionally, the paper presents a data visualization for the new method that allows a large amount of data to be reduced to a single diagram that can be plotted on satellite images and the observed muon variations can be compared with atmospheric phenomena in situ
About the Authors
S. S. Timakov
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
A. A. Petrukhin
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
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Review
For citations:
Timakov S.S., Petrukhin A.A. Study of small variations in the atmosphere in the cosmic ray muon flux. Vestnik natsional'nogo issledovatel'skogo yadernogo universiteta "MIFI". 2025;14(3):203-213. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.26583/vestnik.2025.3.3. EDN: JLJUPO
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