The Neurus project, developed by CONICET, UBA, and the Argentine Antarctic Institute, demonstrates that a cosmic ray detector can become a tool for monitoring the Earth’s atmosphere.
Installed at the Marambio Joint Antarctic Base, this device was designed in the laboratories of the Institute of Astronomy and Space Physics (IAFE, CONICET-UBA) and published in the journal Earth and Space Science of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
What cosmic rays are
Cosmic rays are subatomic particles that travel at speeds close to the speed of light. When they collide with the Earth’s atmosphere, they generate a cascade of secondary particles that reach the ground and can be recorded by specialized detectors.
In this study, scientists observed a correlation between cosmic ray levels and atmospheric pressure at 15 km altitude, which allowed them to develop a model to estimate atmospheric variables from the surface. This approach opens new possibilities for monitoring the low Antarctic stratosphere, key in global climate processes.
The Neurus detector
The device uses the phenomenon of Cherenkov radiation, which occurs when a charged particle passes through ultrapure water at high speed and produces a bluish flash.
- It consists of a water tank with a high-sensitivity photomultiplier.
- It records signals of just nanoseconds, capturing the “fingerprint” of each particle.
- It currently measures about 600,000 particles per hour, storing data locally in Antarctica and transmitting only processed summaries to the continent.
Antarctic nodes and international collaboration
For two years, Neurus has had a second node at the San Martín Base, allowing for the comparison of particle flows at points separated by 700 km. The project is part of the international network LAGO (Latin American Giant Observatory), which connects observatories from Mexico to Antarctica and derives from the Pierre Auger Observatory in Mendoza.
The installation and update campaigns involved researchers such as Sergio Dasso, Noelia Santos, IAFE technicians, and specialists from the Argentine Antarctic Institute.
Technological innovation
The system incorporates cutting-edge technology:
- Time stamping with 10-nanosecond resolution, synchronized by GPS.
- FPGA-based electronics for precise acquisition.
- Telemetry that transmits data almost in real-time to IAFE servers.
This development is pioneering: there are no other similar observatories on Antarctic soil. The results consolidate an innovative perspective: using cosmic rays as precision environmental sensors to better understand global circulation and the challenges of climate change.
The Neurus project reflects more than 15 years of institutional work and positions Argentine science at the frontier of knowledge. Its contribution not only allows for the study of space but also for understanding the atmospheric dynamics of Antarctica, a key territory for the future of global climate.
