The Chacaltaya Cosmic Physics Laboratory
The Chacaltaya Laboratory is a scientific establishment belonging to the Physics course at the Universidad Mayor de San Andres, where two types of activities are mainly carried out: studies of cosmic rays and atmospheric physics.
This laboratory is the highest scientific station in continuous operation in the world and has produced remarkable results in the field of physics.
Its foundation is largely due to the discovery of the pion.
The pion is a subatomic particle whose existence was predicted by the Japanese physicist Hideki Yukawa, in 1935. In 1947, British, Brazilian and Italian scientists carried out measurements on the mount of Chacaltaya and discovered the existence of the pion predicted by Yukawa.
For this discovery Hideki Yukawa and Cecil Powell received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949 and 1950, respectively. A few years later, the Chacaltaya Laboratory was founded.
Why Chacaltaya?
The main motivation to build a new observatory in Chacaltaya is its geographical position, which offers two advantages.
First, its privileged geographic latitude that allows observing the galactic center with low zenith angles (that is, just above our head). Given the immense interest that the scientific community has in the center of our galaxy, combined with very revealing recent results; make Chacaltaya and its surroundings an ideal place to observe the Milky Way.
Second, rising above sea level offers a technical window for studying Gamma rays from space.
What are cosmic rays?
Cosmic rays are very energetic particles that travel, almost at the speed of light, through the universe in which we live. For the most part, cosmic rays are atoms that have lost the layer of electrons that surround them, or in other words, cosmic rays are atomic nuclei. These rays strike the Earth's atmosphere from outer space from all possible directions.
Among the cosmic rays we can find gamma rays, which are electromagnetic radiation capable of interacting with the atoms that surround us and play an important role in the astrophysical context, since they do not have electric charge, they do not feel the magnetic fields and therefore point to the source where they originated.
What are the immediate applications of particle physics?
The integration between particle physics and branches such as medicine or industry, are possible fundamentally in two ways:
First, as a result of the development of technology (detectors, accelerators, etc.)
Second, for the development of knowledge of nuclear and particle physics. Thanks to what is known today, positron emission tomography (PET) is possible, the treatment of cancer using proton beams (Hadro-therapy).
Who we are?
We are a group of researchers, who study Particle Physics and High Energy Physics.
Also, our group has associate researchers and students, who are doing research with projects belonging to the group.
In this way, professionals with a high academic degree are being trained.
Services
The group of cosmic rays, apart from doing research, offers training and diagnostic services.
Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry
The main purpose of this study is to evaluate, through multichannel and dosimeter detector, the effective doses in the field.
The dosimeter has other functions such as the verification of the safety of the workplace and the established dose limits
Photo gallery
Chacaltaya Cosmic Physics Laboratory
Auxiliary Test
Workers and researchers
Physics students visit
Japanese thesis
Investigator visit
