Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Study Of The Effect Of Relativistic Time Dilation On Cosmic Ray Muon Flux - Undergraduate Modern Physics Experiment, Nalini Easwar, Douglas A. Macintire

Physics: Faculty Publications

An experiment to study the effect of relativistic time dilation on secondary muon fluxes observed at different altitudes is described in this article. Muons, produced as secondary particles from the interaction of primary cosmic rays with the upper atmosphere, form a natural and abundant source of subatomic ``clocks'' moving at very high speeds. The measured muon flux on a mountain relative to that measured at sea level can be compared to predictions from calculations that take into account the relativistic time dilation in the muon frame. Situations under which such an experiment can be successfully performed are explored with a …