Scientists have developed a method that will help to look deep into the Earth and not only

Russian physicists have created an innovative detector model that allows the practical application of the muon radiography method. This method is based on the ability of the muon flux to penetrate various objects, while changing its parameters.

Cosmic rays, approaching the Earth, collide with the atmosphere and generate elementary particles called muons. The stream of muons falls on the surface of our planet, penetrating through the water column, the upper layer of the lithosphere, any buildings and structures. These particles can penetrate deep into the earth's surface up to 2-kilometer marks, and into the water - up to 8.5 kilometers. Initially, the muon flux density is quite high - about 10,000 muons per minute per square meter of surface. Passing through the earth's surface, these particles lose speed, the decrease of which depends on the thickness of the obstacle and its density. This feature is the basis of the muon radiography method. The method would be used for the first time in the 60s of the last century. With his help, for example, American scientists explored the Egyptian pyramids in search of new galleries and cameras. In our country, until now, this method has not been widely used for several reasons.

A team of Russian scientists from NUST "MISiS" and Moscow State University has developed track detectors that can expand the possibilities of using muon radiography. A new detector model allows you to record the presence of muons and determine the direction of their motion with high accuracy. If you use three detectors on opposite sides of the investigated object, you can get a three-dimensional picture of what is contained inside. With the help of the detector, it is possible to detect voids, as well as determine the density of various rocks. A tunneling microscope is used to analyze muon tracks.

In the photo: tunnel microscope

The practical application of the new development is very diverse. Using this device, you can not only determine possible voids in the rock mass, but also look into the most inaccessible places. For example, to evaluate the operation of a nuclear reactor of a nuclear power plant or to predict the behavior of a glacier by determining the density of ice and the presence of cracks. This development will be of interest to enterprises engaged in mining. A track detector will help to significantly reduce the cost and time of exploration related to the search for minerals at a depth of up to two kilometers. In recent years, cases of soil failure in populated areas have become more frequent, in close proximity to which worked mines are located. Using a track detector, you can monitor the condition of rocks and detect negative trends in time. The new device has already passed all the necessary tests in the experimental geophysical well of the Russian Academy of Sciences, but specialists continue to improve its software.