The first idea for the construction of a Kamiokanne developed at Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz in 1997 Experimental particle
physicists responsible for teachers training and education had the idea to demonstrate particle physics, the physics of cosmic radiation
and the cherenkov effect to their students, high school teachers and the general public. The cherenkov effect is used in the
Kamiokande experiment in the Kamioka mine in Japan to detect neutrinos and other particles from outer space. The Kamiokande
experiment discovered the oscillation of neutrinos in 1998, for which they were awarded the Nobel prize for physics in 2002. In
association to this Kamiokande experiment, the little version using a coffee pot instead of a huge water tank was named “Kamiokanne”
(German for Kamio-can). In the old days, the equipment was recycled from the dis-assembled particle physics experiments CDHS at
CERN. They were still functioning and could be used for that purpose. The first version of the Kamiokanne was used for demonstration
purposes, for teachers courses and for advanced laboratory courses in physics education at several German universities.
Since 2007, a working group at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen developed a new, improved version of the Kamiokanne based on
the experience from the first version. The readout electronics was upgraded and now uses modern electronics components. The
created data get stored on a USB memory stick and can be processed further with a usual PC or laptop. The new version of the
Kamiokanne is used by the German-wide particle physics network and will soon be commerically available from PHYWE Systeme
GmbH & Ko KG.
The following people were involved in this project:
Dr. Sascha Schmeling,
Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, now at CERN
Prof. Dr. Günter Quast,
Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, now at KIT Karlsruhe
Prof. Dr. Christian Zeitniz,
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
Prof. Dr. Thomas Trefzger,
Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, now at Universität Würzburg
Dr. Frank Fiedler,
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Martin Klein,
Kosmische Myonen: Schulversuche zur Höhenstrahlung, Staatsexamensarbeit,
Universität Mainz, 2000
Matthias Fuidl,
Kosmische Myonen in Schulversuchen, Staatsexamensarbeit, Universität Mainz, 2003
Dania Burak,
Nachweis kosmischer Myonen mittels Wasser-Cherenkov-Zähler, Staatsexamensarbeit,
Karlsruhe, 2007
Johannes Agricola,
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Priv.Doz. Dr. Jörn Große-Knetter,
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Fabian Kohn,
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Dr. Kevin Kröninger,
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Prof. Dr. Arnulf Quadt,
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Dr. Jens Weingarten,
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Christian Söder,
Vorbereitung und Aufbau eines FP-Versuchs für den Bachelorstudiengang Physik zum
Nachweis kosmischer Strahlung mit Cherenkovdetektoren, July 2008, II.Physik-UniGö-
Staatsex-2008/01 (.pdf)
Hans Weger,
Calibration of a photomultiplier tube for the detection of cosmic myons using the Cherenkov-
Effect, July 2009, II.Physik-UniGö-Bach-2009/08 (.pdf)
Tristan Koppe,
Improvement of the readout electronics of photomultipliers for the Bachelor lab experiment
E4 (Kamiokanne), July 2009, II.Physik-UniGö-Bach2009/01 (.pdf)
Jens Dietert,
Construction of a mobile detector system for measurements of cosmic muons, July 2010,
II.Physik-UniGö-Bach2010/04 (.pdf)
Maike Jekel,
Development of a concept for the Kamiokanne experiment, July 2011, II.Physik-UniGö-BSc-
2011/12 (.pdf)
School and project reports can be listed here (please send us your reports via Email):
In cooperation with the Netzwerk Teilchenwelt, (Prof. Dr. Michael Kobel, Mike Walter, Anne Glück, Carolin Schwerdt)
and the PHYWE Systeme GmbH & Co KG (Dr. Ludolf von Alvensleben, Dr. Markus Grumann)