Jeonnam National University Joint Research Team Installs Neutron Detector in Antarctica for the First Time in Korea

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] It was recently revealed that a joint research team from Chonnam National University installed Korea's first neutron monitor in Antarctica.

According to Chonnam National University on the 18th, the domestic cosmic ray neutron monitor research group, led by Professor Oh Soo-yeon of the Department of Earth Science Education, installed the neutron monitor at the Jangbogo Science Station in Antarctica, operated by the Korea Polar Research Institute, in January last year, marking the first installation in Korea.

This fact was conveyed only after researcher Jeong Jong-il of Chungnam National University, who was in charge of the task, returned in March this year due to the special circumstances of Antarctica, where access is difficult and only possible during the Northern Hemisphere summer, and local conditions requiring the use of the Araon icebreaker instead of airplanes due to COVID-19.

The neutron monitor had been operated at McMurdo Station since 1960 and was relocated to the Jangbogo Science Station in Antarctica with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The two Antarctic stations are geographically close, allowing continuity in observational data succession, which facilitated the relocation.

The relocation process began after a memorandum of understanding on the neutron monitor transfer was signed in 2013 between the University of Delaware, the Korea Polar Research Institute, and the research group. Starting with 1 unit (6 tubes) in December 2015, the installation was completed after about four years.

Cosmic ray neutron monitoring not only enables interdisciplinary collaborative research through understanding the physical properties of particles coming from space but also leads to participation in international joint research focused on polar space environment studies.

'Cosmic rays' refer to high-energy particles and radiation pouring onto Earth from space, primarily composed of protons.

When cosmic rays enter Earth's atmosphere, they interact with atmospheric particles to produce neutrons, which are then detected by ground-based cosmic ray neutron monitors.

Cosmic rays provide important information for understanding supernova explosions and solar activity.

Data from the Jangbogo neutron monitor is available for download from NMDB.

Professor Oh Soo-yeon stated, "High-energy cosmic ray particles in the space environment are factors that hinder the long-term operation of satellites and spacecraft. For the long-term development of the future space industry, space environment monitoring through analysis of cosmic ray observation data is absolutely necessary," adding, "It can also be applied to the utilization of observation data from cosmic ray detectors onboard artificial satellites for the long-term development of the space industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.