Supersaturated Environments Diffusion Cloud Chamber Demonstrations

1. Supersaturated Environments Diffusion Cloud Chamber Demonstrations http://www.cloudchambers.com/

2. Reference List • Sourcebook on Atomic Energy, Samuel Glasstone (Van Nostrand, 1967). • Electrical Coronas, L. L. Loeb (University of California Press, 1965). • Elements of Nuclear Physics, W. E. Meyerhof (McGraw-Hill, 1967). • Cosmic Rays, B. B. Rossi (McGraw-Hill, 1964). • Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, J. R. Lamarsh (Addison-Wesley, 1983). • Cosmic Rays at Ground Level, Wolfendale (Institute of Physics: London, 1973). • An Atlas of Typical Expansion Chamber Photographs, W. Gentner (Pergamon Press, 1954).

3. Cosmic Ray Shower This portion of a cosmic ray shower was recorded in a Supersaturated Environments Cloud Chamber located near sea level. Note the group of parallel tracks. It is possible to observe several such events per hour with our lecture hall and museum cloud chambers, and record them on videotape. For further reading about cosmic ray showers, see Cosmic Rays, by B. B. Rossi (McGraw-Hill, 1964).

4. Corona Electrode The electrode on the right is at a positive potential of about two kilovolts with respect to the Supersaturated Environments Cloud Chamber bottom. The electric field at the tip is sufficient to produce corona ionization. It is believed that the positive ions reduce the electric field and ionization, causing the pulsed cloud of droplets. Pulse frequency is proportional to electrode potential. For further reading about corona discharges, see Electrical Coronas, by L. L. Loeb (University of California Press, 1965).

5. Low Energy Beta Particles These low energy beta particle tracks were recorded in a Supersaturated Environments Cloud Chamber. Particles emanated from a Carbon-14 source placed at a chamber port located to the right of photograph field. Trajectories were bent by the 1000 Gauss magnetic field produced by our Rare Earth Magnet Assembly. Note the frequent scattering, as well as the increase in curvature and ionization per unit length as each particle is slowed. The maximum particle energy was 156 keV. For further reading about the interaction of charged particles with matter, see Elements of Nuclear Physics, by W. E. Meyerhof (McGraw-Hill, 1967).