ASHRA at the University of Hawai`i

10-12 March 2005 International ASHRA Collaboration Meeting in Hilo

23-24 August 2004 2nd International ASHRA Collaboration Meeting in Kashiwa

7-9 January 2004 International ASHRA Collaboration Meeting in Hawaii

Neutrino Physics & Astrophysics: ASHRA

ASHRA is a project begun at the University of Tokyo, Institute of Cosmic Ray Research with the goal of using new and relatively inexpensive imaging technology to observe ultra high energy cosmic rays via their nitrogen fluoescence in the atmosphere. In this way it is rather like the older Fly's Eye technique (now pursued in High-Res and Auger projects), except with far greater angular resolution. The energy region of sensitivity for cosmic rays in in the neighborhood of 10^18-20 eV. Neutrinos can be detected by observing nearly horizontal showers which have penetrated more atmosphere than could ordinary cosmic rays (protons and nuclei). In the head-on mode, ASHRA can detect TeV showers from cosmic rays and gamma rays, accomplishing separation by the image shape of the shower (as does Whipple, which pioneered the technique). The initial tests of the detector components will start on Haleakala in 2004 with a small az-alt mounted unit, which should be capable of performing useful TeV gamma ray astronomy in and of itself. (See collaboration website below for more details).

ASHRA Collaboration Home Page at ICRR, click here.

Auger Project homepage, has very nice introductory material to high energy cosmic rays.

ASHRA Project Members in Hawaii:

Some reference books for background material:

Last modified: 12 Feb 2004
University of Hawaii / jgl@uhheph.phys.hawaii.edu