The PolarquEEEst 2025 – OvEEErland mission, the new project by the EEE Collaboration researchers dedicated to studying cosmic ray fluxes at different latitudes using one of the POLA-R detectors developed within the Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Project, concluded today, October 8th. The mission, which started on September 16th, was jointly organized by CREF, INFN, and the University of Oslo.

Following previous expeditions—where in 2018 the POLA-R detectors boarded the innovative ecological vessel Nanuq to circumnavigate the Svalbard islands; in 2019 they were permanently installed in the Norwegian archipelago; and in 2022 they accompanied the training ship Amerigo Vespucci on its circumnavigation of Italy—this year’s mission takes a new direction: traveling by land, from Bologna to Tromsø in the heart of Arctic Norway, by car!

The route crossed six countries—Italy, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway—covering a total of approximately 8,200 km round trip. “A journey covering a wide range of latitudes, from 44.5°N to 70°N, filling particularly the gap in measurements between 52°N and 66°N, which was never explored in previous PolarquEEEst missions,” says Francesco Noferini, INFN project manager for the EEE Project.

Along the way, scientific stops and outreach events took place at German and Norwegian schools: Gymnasium Villa Elisabeth in Wildau (with the support of Carolin Gnebner, head of the DESY-Zeuthen group for International Cosmic Day), the Physics Department of the University of Oslo, and Thora Storm Videregående Skole in Trondheim. All three events were very successful and saw significant participation also from Italian students, who shared their work on the detectors at their schools via live connections.

“For years, EEE has offered students the unique opportunity to experience science firsthand, side by side with researchers. With this mission, we bring our cosmic ray measurements beyond geographical borders, crossing countries and diverse communities. This journey unites science, youth, and institutions under one sky, reminding us that knowledge has no boundaries,” states Marco Garbini, EEE Project manager at CREF and spokesperson.

The POLA-R detector has returned to Bologna awaiting new expeditions!

All photos and videos of the trip, stage by stage, along with the story of this exciting scientific adventure, can be found on EEE’s social media channels.