New 3he Neutron Monitor for Chilean Cosmic-Ray Observatories from the Altiplanic Zone to the Antarctic Zone

We present the results of three years of continuous operations and the principal characteristics of our new 3He neutron monitors installed in the Chilean Network of Cosmic-Ray Observatories. During the years 2004 and 2005, we began the construction of this International Geophysical Year (IGY)-type 3He neutron monitor, with the intention of replacing the older proportional tubes of the BF 3. These new monitors are installed in stations at locations ranging from the near-equatorial zone to the Antarctic zone. As a reference system, we used our own BF 3 neutron monitors and previously complemented the collected data with a Monte Carlo simulation for the proton-yield function response of the Putre neutron monitor. Herein, we present for the first time the data obtained from our new high-mountain observatory located in the Altiplanic zone. © 2012 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.