surface detectors

Surface detectors are instruments placed on the ground to observe airborne particles from cosmic rays—high-energy particles originating from space. When these cosmic rays hit Earth's atmosphere, they create extensive showers of secondary particles. Surface detectors capture and measure these particles, helping scientists study their properties, origins, and the processes involved in their creation. They are essential tools in astrophysics research, providing data to understand phenomena like supernovae, black holes, or the universe’s early conditions. By analyzing the particle patterns detected at the surface, researchers can infer details about the cosmic events that produced them.