geiger counter to space

[Shircliff, Paul]

A local school is doing a near space balloon launch

Physics students want to do something about radiation killing yeast and want to send a geiger counter up. They have one good to -10 C (dont know what they have) but need one good to -40C.

Thoughts?

Suggestions?

Thank you.

Paul Shircliff

Maker Education Specialist

IU School of Education

"makers gonna make"
https://blogs.iu.edu/uplandsmakermobile/ 

   

[Spencer Perry]

Putting together a high altitude/low temperature radiation meter might be difficult. Most of this is because a Geiger-Muller tube depends on the interior gas pressure to be within a certain window to work correctly. If the temperature drops too low (i.e., pressure drops too low), then they just don't work. It might be possible that someone has overcome this problem, but I'm not sure.

I did find this, but I'm a little skeptical: https://iot-devices.com.ua/en/technical_note_performance_of_diy_geiger_counter_ggreg20_v3_at_low_-temperatures/

Other options might be to add a heater module if they have the room for that kind of extra mass. Maybe fly at a lower altitude(s) and figure radiation levels higher up using mathematical models?

This is a pretty tough problem being proposed.

[Dan Beeker]

Are they using a balloon to get an increased radiation? Or because they want/need a specific type of radiation? Do they just want to do a near space experiment using a balloon and they landed on irradiating yeast as something to do? I.e which is more important, launching a balloon and measuring something or measuring the effect of radiation on yeast?

Dan

On Apr 14, 2025, at 9:26 AM, Spencer Perry <spencer....@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Dan Beeker]

What are their weight and space limitations?

On Apr 14, 2025, at 9:26 AM, Spencer Perry <spencer....@gmail.com> wrote:



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