SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AEROSPACE REPORTS

A Biweekly Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
VOLUME 44, ISSUE 5 - March 10, 2006

93 SPACE RADIATION
Includes cosmic radiation; and inner and outer Earth radiation belts.

For biological effects of radiation on plants and animals see 51 Life Sciences; on human beings see 52 Aerospace Medicine.

For theory see 73 Nuclear Physics.

20060006729 Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL, USA, Argonne National Lab., IL USA, Chicago Univ., Chicago, IL USA

QuarkNet/Grid Collaborative Learning e-Lab

Bardden, M.; Quigg, E.; Gilbert, E.; Wilde, M.; Jordan, T.; January 2005; 12 pp.; In English Report No.(s): DE2005-15016988; FERMILAB-CONF-04-366; No Copyright; Avail.: Department of Energy Information Bridge

We describe a case study that uses grid computing techniques to support the collaborative learning of high school students investigating cosmic rays. Students gather and upload science data to our e-Lab portal. They explore those data using techniques from the GriPhyN collaboration. These techniques include virtual data transformations, workflows, metadata cataloging and indexing, data product provenance and persistence, as well as job planners. Students use web browsers and a custom interface that extends the GriPhyN Chiron portal to perform all of these tasks. They share results in the form of online posters and ask each other questions in this asynchronous environment. Students can discover and extend the research of other students, modeling the processes of modern large-scale scientific collaborations. Also, the e-Lab portal provides tools for teachers to guide student work throughout an investigation. NTIS

Cosmic Rays; Grid Computing (Computer Networks); Schools; Students

20060007835 Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL, USA

Hybrid Performance of the Pierre Auger Observatory

January 2005; 8 pp.; In English Report No.(s): DE2005-15020128; FERMILAB-PUB-05-269; No Copyright; Avail.: Department of Energy Information Bridge

The Pierre Auger Observatory detects ultra-high energy cosmic rays by implementing two complementary air-shower techniques. The combination of a large ground array and fluorescence detectors, known as the hybrid concept, means that a rich variety of measurements can be made on a single shower, providing much improved information over what is possible with either detector alone. In this paper the hybrid reconstruction approach and its performance are described. NTIS

Cosmic Rays; Observatories

Source: NASA