PI - Helio Takai, Stony Brook University/Brookhaven National Laboratory CI-TEAM Proposal 0636194 CI-TEAM Implementation Project - Cyberinfrastructure via MARIACHI Project Abstract The Mixed Apparatus for Radar Investigation of Atmospheric Cosmic-rays of High Ionization project, (MARIACHI) implements a large network composed of multiple bi-static radars, scintillation array detectors, and non-conventional atmospheric sensors (e.g. atmospheric electric field monitors), to study the physics of ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECR), lightning phenomena and meteors. Rarely occurring and mysterious UHECR have been detected, but no one is able to explain their nature and origin, and they have been identified as a high priority area of national research. The quest for the detection and understanding of the nature and origin of UHECR may lead to a deeper understanding of how the Universe works. Radar may provide means to considerably increase the detection area over currently employed technology. Lightning on the other hand is one of the most common and spectacular displays of nature and yet how it starts is unknown. One of the current theories is that cosmic rays may trigger their production, but a proof is still missing. MARIACHI radar and scintillation detectors may provide a unique way to examine the interplay between cosmic ray activity and lightning. Finally, meteors can be easily detected by the MARIACHI radar system and they may provide information about comets and the planetary system. To make MARIACHI a success it is necessary to install detectors and sensors over a wide geographical area to increase the detection probability of very rare UHECR events. Therefore the implementation of a robust and secure cyberinfrastructure for data collection and analysis is a necessity. Grid technology provides tools for both and is currently being implemented. Secure transfer, to and from the data repository is done through grid certificate aware tools. The data analysis, especially the high volume of data from radar stations, will require submission of jobs to the grid nodes. The choice of deploying detectors and sensors in high schools, community colleges, and universities brings together scientists, educators, and students in a large and diverse cyberinfrastructure collaboration for the support of its cutting-edge research. In fact, MARIACHI already includes 15 high school teachers representing a dozen schools, including several with high populations of underrepresented groups, and faculty from two community college campuses. MARIACHI promotes and advances information technology education, since the scientific output of every project depends on the familiarity of all participants with the cyberinfrastructure. Widespread detection sites, tied together by modern grid enabled computing expose a broad range of individuals and organizations to exciting computing tools to achieve the research goals thus providing an opportunity that they would otherwise be unable to experience. MARIACHI enables participants to build, deploy, utilize, and apply the most current information technologies through collaborative efforts with scientists active in this forefront research, and consequently it encourages and prepares a strong future workforce in cyberinfrastructure and research fields. The present grant will be used to implement a program that will grow nationally due to the scalability of its design. Progress and results of this project are being showcased in a publicly accessible website (www.elmariachi-project.org).
