The main objective of the Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) is the detection and analysis of extended cosmic ray phenomena, so-called super-preshowers (SPS), using existing as well ...as new infrastructure (cosmic-ray observatories, educational detectors, single detectors etc.). The search for ensembles of cosmic ray events initiated by SPS is yet an untouched ground, in contrast to the current state-of-the-art analysis, which is focused on the detection of single cosmic ray events. Theoretical explanation of SPS could be given either within classical (e.g., photon-photon interaction) or exotic (e.g., Super Heavy Dark Matter decay or annihilation) scenarios, thus detection of SPS would provide a better understanding of particle physics, high energy astrophysics and cosmology. The ensembles of cosmic rays can be classified based on the spatial and temporal extent of particles constituting the ensemble. Some classes of SPS are predicted to have huge spatial distribution, a unique signature detectable only with a facility of the global size. Since development and commissioning of a completely new facility with such requirements is economically unwarranted and time-consuming, the global analysis goals are achievable when all types of existing detectors are merged into a worldwide network. The idea to use the instruments in operation is based on a novel trigger algorithm: in parallel to looking for neighbour surface detectors receiving the signal simultaneously, one should also look for spatially isolated stations clustered in a small time window. On the other hand, CREDO strategy is also aimed at an active engagement of a large number of participants, who will contribute to the project by using common electronic devices (e.g., smartphones), capable of detecting cosmic rays. It will help not only in expanding the geographical spread of CREDO, but also in managing a large manpower necessary for a more efficient crowd-sourced pattern recognition scheme to identify and classify SPS. A worldwide network of cosmic-ray detectors could not only become a unique tool to study fundamental physics, it will also provide a number of other opportunities, including space-weather or geophysics studies. Among the latter one has to list the potential to predict earthquakes by monitoring the rate of low energy cosmic-ray events. The diversity of goals motivates us to advertise this concept across the astroparticle physics community.
The search for correlations between secondary cosmic ray detection rates and seismic effects has long been a subject of investigation motivated by the hope of identifying a new precursor type that ...could feed a global early warning system against earthquakes. Here we show for the first time that the average variation of the cosmic ray detection rates correlates with the global seismic activity to be observed with a time lag of approximately two weeks, and that the significance of the effect varies with a periodicity resembling the undecenal solar cycle, with a shift in phase of around three years, exceeding 6 σ at local maxima. The precursor characteristics of the observed correlations point to a pioneer perspective of an early warning system against earthquakes.
Variations of secondary cosmic ray detection rates are periodically correlated with future global earthquake magnitude sum.
•The local changes of the cosmic ray flux correlate with the global seismic activity.•The cosmic signal correlates with the future seismic activity.•The effect lasts a few years and occurs with periodicity similar to the solar cycle.
One of the main objectives of cosmic-ray studies are precise measurements of the energy and chemical composition of particles with extreme energies. Large and sophisticated detectors are used to find ...events seen as showers starting in the Earth's atmosphere with recorded energies larger than 100 EeV. However, a Cosmic-Ray Ensemble (CRE) developing before reaching the Earth as a bunch of correlated particles may spread over larger areas and requires an extended set of detectors to be discovered. The Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) is a solution to find such phenomena. Even simple detectors measuring the particle arrival time only are useful in this approach, as they are sufficient both to provide candidate CRE events and to determine the direction from which they are arriving.
Propagation of ultra-high energy photons in the solar magnetosphere gives rise to cascades comprising thousands of photons. We study the cascade development using Monte Carlo simulations and find ...that the photons in the cascades are spatially extended over millions of kilometers on the plane distant from the Sun by 1 AU. We compare results from simulations which use two models of the solar magnetic field, and show that although signatures of such cascades are different for the models used, for practical detection purpose in the ground-based detectors, they are similar.
The search for correlations between secondary cosmic ray detection rates and seismic effects has long been a subject of investigation motivated by the hope of identifying a new precursor type that ...could feed a global early warning system against earthquakes. Here we show for the first time that the average variation of the cosmic ray detection rates correlates with the global seismic activity to be observed with a time lag of approximately two weeks, and that the significance of the effect varies with a periodicity resembling the undecenal solar cycle, with a shift in phase of around three years, exceeding 6 sigma at local maxima. The precursor characteristics of the observed correlations point to a pioneer perspective of an early warning system against earthquakes.
In the past few years, cosmic-rays beyond the GZK cut-off (\(E > 5 \times 10^{19}\) eV) have been detected by leading collaborations such as Pierre Auger Observatory. Such observations raise many ...questions as to how such energies can be reached and what source can possibly produce them. Although at lower energies, mechanisms such as Fermi acceleration in supernovae front shocks seem to be favored, top-down scenarios have been proposed to explain the existence of ultra-high energy cosmic-rays: the decay of super-massive long-lived particles produced in the early Universe may yield to a flux of ultra-high energy photons. Such photons might be presently generating so called super-preshowers, an extended cosmic-ray shower with a spatial distribution that can be as wide as the Earth diameter. The Cosmic Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) mission is to find such events by means of a network of detectors spread around the globe. CREDO's strategy is to connect existing detectors and create a worldwide network of cosmic-ray observatories. Moreover, citizen-science constitutes an important pillar of our approach. By helping our algorithms to recognize detection patterns and by using smartphones as individual cosmic-ray detectors, non-scientists can participate in scientific discoveries and help unravel some of the deepest mysteries in physics.
The Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) is a project dedicated to global studies of extremely extended cosmic-ray phenomena, the cosmic-ray ensembles (CRE), beyond the capabilities ...of existing detectors and observatories. Up to date cosmic-ray research has been focused on detecting single air showers, while the search for ensembles of cosmic-rays, which may overspread a significant fraction of the Earth, is a scientific terra incognita. Instead of developing and commissioning a completely new global detector infrastructure, CREDO proposes approaching the global cosmic-ray analysis objectives with all types of available detectors, from professional to pocket size, merged into a worldwide network. With such a network it is possible to search for evidences of correlated cosmic-ray ensembles. One of the observables that can be investigated in CREDO is a number of spatially isolated events collected in a small time window which could shed light on fundamental physics issues. The CREDO mission and strategy requires active engagement of a large number of participants, also non-experts, who will contribute to the project by using common electronic devices (e.g. smartphones). In this note the status and perspectives of the project is presented.
Although the photon structure is most efficiently studied with the accelerator instruments, there is also a scientifically complementary potential in investigations on photons produced in the outer ...space. This potential is already being explored with gamma ray telescopes, ultra-high energy cosmic ray observatories and, since very recently, by the Cosmic-Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO). Unlike the former instruments focused on detection of single photons, CREDO aims at the detection of cascades (ensembles) of photons originating even at astrophysical distances. If at least a part of such a cascade reaches Earth, it might produce a unique pattern composed of a number of air showers observable by an appropriately dense array of standard detectors. If the energies of air showers constituting the pattern are relatively low and if the typical distances between the neighbors are large, the ensemble character of the whole phenomenon might remain uncovered, unless the CREDO strategy is implemented.
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