↓ Skip to main content
OSECHI
  1. Posts/

We Will Hold "Hirameki Tokimeki Science" — Watch the Sun with Neutrinos: How Do We Block the Troublesome Cosmic-Ray Muons? — at University of Toyama!

·297 words·2 mins
Outreach Toyama University of Toyama
Table of Contents

On Sunday, September 6, 2026, we will hold the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science’s “Hirameki Tokimeki Science — Welcome to the University Lab! KAKENHI” program “Watch the Sun with Neutrinos — How Do We Block the Troublesome Cosmic-Ray Muons?” at the Gofuku Campus of the Faculty of Science, University of Toyama. The event will let 20 high school students experience particle and astrophysics research through lectures and hands-on activities.

The Super-Kamiokande experiment observes neutrinos 1000 m underground, where cosmic-ray muons act as a “troublesome” background. Focusing on these muons, participants will build their own OSECHI muon detectors and carry out an observation experiment. The program will be led by Associate Professor Yuki Nakano (University of Toyama, principal investigator) and Lecturer Motoko Fujiwara (Kyushu University, collaborator), with graduate and undergraduate students supporting the hands-on sessions.

Event Overview
#

  • Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026, 9:30 gathering – 17:00 dismissal
  • Venue: Gofuku Campus, Faculty of Science, University of Toyama
  • Audience: 20 high school students (mainly from Toyama and neighboring prefectures)
  • Fee: Free (lunch provided by the organizers)
  • Application deadline: Friday, July 31, 2026, first-come first-served

Program Content
#

  1. Learn about cosmic rays, neutrinos, and muons
  2. Assemble an OSECHI muon detector
  3. Observe muons
  4. Analyze the observed data
  5. Tour the university’s research facilities

Schedule
#

Time Activity
9:30 Registration and gathering
10:00 Orientation
10:30 Explanation of the KAKENHI grant
10:40 Lecture: “What Are Cosmic Rays (Neutrinos, Muons)?” (Motoko Fujiwara, Kyushu University)
11:40 Lecture: “Solar Neutrinos and the OSECHI Detector” (Yuki Nakano, University of Toyama)
13:20 Building the OSECHI detector
14:20 Muon observation experiment with OSECHI
15:20 Data analysis and discussion
16:00 Lab tour
16:30 Closing ceremony and “Future Doctorate” certificates
17:00 Dismissal

Related Links #

Author
Shota Takahashi
Science Communicator at KMI

Related

We Held a Development Retreat at University of Toyama!

·361 words·2 mins
Meeting University of Toyama
On November 1 and 2, 2025, we held an “OSECHI Development Retreat” at University of Toyama. The OSECHI project normally holds regular meetings online, but about once a year we bring members together in person for a concentrated push on development. This retreat included a first in-person meeting with the University of Toyama members who joined the project this year, and discussion was lively. On the development side, we redesigned OSECHI’s PCB and worked hands-on through how to combine the electronic parts and configure the initial setup, completing five OSECHI detectors by the end. The retreat further strengthened collaboration among members and marked an important step forward for future development.