A prototype of Multi-strip Multi-gap Resistive Plate chamber (MMRPC) with active area 40 cm $times$ 20 cm has been developed at SINP, Kolkata. Detailed response of the developed detector was studied with the pulsed electron beam from ELBE at Helmholt
z-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. In this report the response of SINP developed MMRPC with different controlling parameters is described in details. The obtained time resolution ($sigma_t$) of the detector after slew correction was 91.5$ pm $3 ps. Position resolution measured along ($sigma_x$) and across ($sigma_y$) the strip was 2.8$pm$0.6 cm and 0.58 cm, respectively. The measured absolute efficiency of the detector for minimum ionizing particle like electron was 95.8$pm$1.3 $%$. Better timing resolution of the detector can be achieved by restricting the events to a single strip. The response of the detector was mainly in avalanche mode but a few percentage of streamer mode response was also observed. A comparison of the response of these two modes with trigger rate was studied
Indian Centre for Space Physics is engaged in pioneering balloon borne experiments with typical payloads less than ~ 3.5kg. Low cost rubber balloons are used to fly them to a height of about 40km. In a double balloon system, the booster balloon lifts
the orbiter balloon to its cruising altitude where data is taken for a longer period of time. In this Paper, we present our first scientific report on the variation of Cosmic Rays and muons with altitude and detection of several solar flares in X-rays between 20keV and 100keV. We found the altitude of the Pfotzer maximum at Tropic of Cancer for cosmic rays and muons and catch several solar flares in hard X-rays. We find that the hard X-ray (> 40keV) sky becomes very transparent above Pfotzer maximum. We find the flare spectrum to have a power-law distribution. From these studies, we infer that valuable scientific research could be carried out in near space using low cost balloon borne experiments. Published in Online version of Indian Journal of Physics.
