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Using cosmic ray detectors they constructed, and the atmosphere as a target, QuarkNet high school teachers have observed showers of elementary particles created by very high energy cosmic rays. Data collected from three detectors at the University of Illinois at Chicago allowed the direction of the source of the cosmic rays to be reconstructed. A second set of three detectors was operated at a high school site over 3 km away. Absolute timing of 20 ns among the sites was achieved via global positioning technology, thus enabling the astronomical source to be located. The group plans to add detectors at more schools, sparsely covering Chicagoland, to join a North American-wide search for city-sized cosmic ray showers.
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