University of Delaware professor develops affordable CosmicWatch particle detector

Spencer Axani, a physics professor at the University of Delaware, has developed CosmicWatch, a portable and affordable particle detector designed to identify muons originating from cosmic events. The device, which is approximately the size of a small box, costs around $100 and allows for the recording and storage of muon passages for later analysis.

Originally conceived in 2017 as an educational tool and a component for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica, the technology has evolved through three versions. The latest iteration features improved environmental monitoring, radiation resistance, and faster data collection.

CosmicWatch is currently being utilized in international astrophysics experiments, such as NuDot and Coherent CAPTAIN-Mills (CCM), and is being tested on high-altitude balloons to study cosmic rays in the upper atmosphere. Axani intends to launch a global citizen science initiative to aggregate data from thousands of these detectors worldwide.