Detection of Cosmic Rays and Super-Kamiokande

Abstract

Super-Kamiokande is a 50,000ton cylindrical water Cherenkov detector located 1000m underground. The detector was viewed by 11,146 photo-multiplier tubes with 50 cm diameter which cover the 40% of the inner surface. The primary aim of this experiment is to measure cosmic neutrinos and to search for proton decay. In 1998, by the detailed study of the atmospheric neutrinos, the neutrino oscillation was discovered and it was proven that the neutrinos have finite masses. For the future large water Cherenkov detector, the development of the new light sensor is necessary.