Cosmic Rays: From Fundamental Symmetry Tests to Civil Applications
A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Physics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 7102
Special Issue Editors
Interests: particle physics; BSM physics; cosmic rays; muon tomography; muon radiography; cosmic-ray neutron sensing; machine-learning
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Symmetry lies at the foundation of nature. It pervades every area of physics and has successfully acted as a guiding principle in postulating the existence of new particles and interactions in the last century. In this context, the discovery of the cosmic radiation has played a crucial role: it has made the experimental verification of many of the theory’s predictions possible. Even today, despite the availability of high-energy particle colliders, cosmic rays still represent an invaluable probe to test fundamental principles in cosmology and particle physics, as well as to look for new physics. Examples include tests for violation of the Lorentz symmetry, and the related CPT symmetry, searches for dark matter candidates, and tests to probe fundamental interactions at ultra-high energies.
Cosmic rays have also been used beyond fundamental research since the mid-1950s, when E.P. George estimated the thickness of rock above an underground tunnel by measuring the flux attenuation of cosmic-ray (CR) muons. Since then, applications of CR muons have steadily grown in numbers, especially in recent decades. Imaging methods based on measurements of the flux attenuation and/or scattering angles of CR muons, collectively referred to as muography, have been successfully applied to many different fields requiring penetrating probes. Examples include the inspection or monitoring of large natural or civil structures, such as volcanoes or dams, the search for heavy metals in containers and trucks, the control of nuclear wastes, and studies on middle atmosphere dynamics. In addition to muon-based imaging, some authors have also investigated the possibility of using CR muons for the metrology of structures, such as historical buildings. This technique, generally referred to as muon metrology, is based on the measurement of how the relative alignment of a system of detectors, some integral to the structure of interest and others to the surrounding environment, evolves over time.
As the large number of applications mentioned above show, the research areas covered by this Special Issue are very active and growing, with still plenty of room for new ideas. We hereby solicit both review and research papers on recent advances in cosmic-ray physics and applications, including (but not limited to) the following topics:
- Cosmic rays as a probe for fundamental physics;
- Search for dark matter with cosmic rays;
- Extreme energy cosmic rays;
- Muography applications;
- Applications of muon metrology;
- Algorithms for muon imaging and metrology;
- Cosmic-ray muon generators;
- Muon detectors and detection systems for muography.
Prof. Dr. Davide Pagano
Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Germano Bonomi
Co-Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Cosmic rays
- Dark matter
- Extreme energy cosmic rays
- Muography
- Muon tomography
- Muon radiography
- Muon metrology
- Muon imaging algorithm
- Muon detector
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.