Cosmic Ray Detector SORAMAME

Explore cosmic rays with your smartphone! Visualize faint cosmic events detected by CMOS sensors in real-time, repurpose old devices for education and research. Cosmic rays are important targets of observation that can provide insights into the origins of the universe and high-energy astrophysical phenomena. Traditionally, their detection has required specialized and expensive equipment. Focusing on the characteristics of CMOS image sensors installed in smartphones and tablets, we developed the app “Soramame”, which enables simplified cosmic ray detection using general consumer devices.

When high-energy charged particles from space strike the CMOS sensor, they generate tiny amounts of electrical charge. The Soramame app captures these signals as images and visualizes them in real time. The detected data is also transmitted to a cloud server, allowing users to view events detected by others via a shared web platform.

Because Soramame allows cosmic ray detection without specialized equipment, it is highly suitable for educational use. Since detection relies on rare and spontaneous events, long-term observation is important. We encourage the use of unused smartphones or tablets to enable continuous data collection.

From an educational perspective, the ability to detect and observe invisible cosmic rays with one's own hands deepens understanding of physical phenomena and fosters scientific curiosity. By altering conditions such as altitude, shielding, and time of day, students can collect and compare data, making the app suitable for inquiry-based learning and data-driven science education.

The app also includes a data sharing feature, allowing users to compare observations from different regions. This enables collaborative learning and supports citizen science activities. In the future, we plan to enhance detection accuracy, integrate more closely with educational curricula, and improve data analysis features to further increase the app's educational value.

Soramame is developed by the Hibino Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University. We hope it will serve as a tool that bridges research and education, and that it helps deepen public understanding and interest in science.

https://soramame.n.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/en/