Research Abstracts Online
January 2009 - March 2010
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Department of Pediatrics
PI: Rolf R. Engel
Co-PI: Richard A. Oriani
Mapping CR-39 Detector Chips for the Orientation and Distribution of Nuclear Tracks
In the absence of electric or magnetic fields the distribution of nuclear tracks for radon decay on CR-39 detector chips is random. By applying an electric field perpendicular to the CR-39 detector chip, the orientation of the individual tracks becomes non-random as evidenced by a shared orientation of tracks in the same areas of the detector chip. By simultaneously applying both a magnetic and an electric field, perpendicular to each other and to the direction of air flow, the distribution of nuclear tracks becomes non-random as evidenced by clusters of increased density surrounded by areas of decreased density. The researchers are planning to determine whether the Hall Effect for the flow of electrons in a magnetic field has a counterpart for the flow of a positive charge in an electromagnetic field.