New high precision measurements of the cosmic charged particle rate beyond the Arctic Circle with the PolarquEEEst experiment

• Published in: The European Physical Journal C
• Main Authors: Abbrescia, M, Avanzini, C, Arlandoo, M, Balbi, G, Baldini, L, Ferroli, R Baldini, Batignani, G, Battaglieri, M, Boi, S, Cavazza, D, Bossini, E, Carnesecchi, F, Cicalò, C, Cifarelli, L, Coccetti, F, Coccia, E, Corvaglia, A, De Gruttola, D, De Pasquale, S, Fabbri, F, Falchieri, D, Flammini, A, Galante, L, Garbini, M, Gemme, G, Gnesi, I, Gramstad, E, Grazzi, S, Håland, E S, Hatzifotiadou, D, La Rocca, P, Liu, Z, Lombardo, L, Mandaglio, G, Margotti, A, Maron, G, Mazziotta, M N, Meneghini, S, Millerjord, S A, Mulliri, A, Nania, R, Noferini, F, Nozzoli, F, Ould-Saada, F, Palmonari, F, Panareo, M, Panetta, M P, Paoletti, R, Parvis, M, Pellegrino, C, Riggi, F, Righini, G, Ripoli, C, Rizzi, M, Sartorelli, G, Scapparone, E, Schioppa, M, Scioli, G, Scribano, A, Selvi, M, Serri, G, Squarcia, S, Taiuti, M, Terreni, G, Torromeo, G, Travaglini, R, Trifirò, A, Trimarchi, M, Veri, C, Vistoli, C, Votano, L, Williams, M C S, Zichichi, A, Zuyeuski, R
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Astrophysics and Astronomy; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-020-8213-2; https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-020-8293-z; http://cds.cern.ch/record/2725330

The goal of the PolarquEEEst experiment was to measure the cosmic charged particle rate at latitudes greater than 66$^{\circ }$ N, where no systematic and accurate measurements at sea level have ever been performed. A latitude range well above the Arctic Circle was explored on board of a sailboat, up to the unprecedented northernmost value of $82^{\circ }07^{\prime }$ N. In this paper a description of the experimental set-up is reported, then the procedures for calibration and data analysis are described in detail. The results show that the rate measured in this latitude range stays constant within a novel accuracy of $\pm 1$%.