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KAIPING, China (AP) — Beneath a granite hill in southern China, work is nearing completion on an enormous detector designed to detect elusive neutrinos—particles that are fundamental to our understanding of the cosmos.
The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory, set to launch soon, aims to identify neutrinos, which have an astonishingly tiny mass and are thought to play a critical role in the fabric of the universe.
This facility is part of a global effort; it stands alongside two other neutrino detectors being constructed in the United States and Japan. Together, these projects represent a major step forward in the study of these ghostly particles.
Gaining insights into neutrinos is a monumental task essential for unraveling the mysteries of the universe’s origins. Andre de Gouvea, a theoretical physicist from Northwestern University, expressed optimism about the craft and potential of this new Chinese facility. “If they can pull that off,” he noted, “it would be amazing.”
Understanding Neutrinos
Neutrinos are thought to have been created during the Big Bang and currently travel through us in vast numbers, outpacing light speed in their minute interaction with matter. They are produced in processes such as those occurring in stars, including our sun, and during collisions in particle accelerators.
While scientists have acknowledged the existence of these particles for nearly a century, their properties and behaviors remain poorly understood. Cao Jun, who oversees the JUNO detector, articulated the need for further investigation: “It’s the least understood particle in our world, and that’s why we need to study it.”
Detecting neutrinos directly is impossible; instead, scientists look for the light or charged particles generated when neutrinos interact with other matter. Given their rarity of interaction, constructing these detectors at a massive scale is essential for increasing the probability of observation.
Advanced Detection Technology
The Kaiping detector, a $300 million investment, has taken over nine years to build. Situated 2,297 feet (700 meters) underground, its location provides protection against cosmic rays that could interfere with its sensitive measurements.
As of Wednesday, construction entered its final phase, with plans to fill the spherical detector with a special liquid that emits light upon neutrino encounters, which will then be submerged in purified water to enhance visibility.
The facility will focus on detecting antineutrinos, the counterpart to neutrinos, that emerge from two nuclear power plants located more than 31 miles (50 kilometers) away. The interaction of these antineutrinos with the matter in the detector will create detectable flashes of light.
A significant goal of the detector is to investigate neutrino “flavors.” These particles can oscillate between different types as they travel, and determining their mass hierarchy is essential to deepening our understanding of particle physics.
Kate Scholberg, a physicist at Duke University, emphasized the challenge of these measurements, describing the effort as “a very daring thing to even go after.”
The observatory is anticipated to begin operations in the latter half of next year. Post-launch, considerable time will be required for data gathering and analysis, prolonging the wait for scientists eager to unlock the secrets of neutrinos.
In addition to the Jiangmen facility, Japan’s Hyper-Kamiokande and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment in the U.S. are also underway. These projects are expected to commence operations between 2027 and 2031 and will offer complementary data to enhance our understanding of neutrinos.
“In the end, we have a better understanding of the nature of physics,” stated Wang Yifang, the chief scientist behind the Chinese detector project.
Exploring Cosmic Origins
Despite their elusive nature, neutrinos have existed since the beginning of time. Their study holds the potential to provide insights into the universe’s expansion and evolution over billions of years.
Scholberg remarked, “They’re part of the big picture,” underscoring their significance in addressing fundamental questions about the universe.
Researchers are particularly interested in understanding the prevalence of matter in the universe compared to its counterpart, antimatter, which appears to be largely absent. This disparity raises questions about the early conditions of the universe, and scientists suspect that neutrinos may have influenced the formation of matter as we know it.
Ultimately, as researchers pursue these questions, the hope is that through capturing neutrinos, they will shed light on some of the universe’s most profound mysteries.
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AP video producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this report. Ramakrishnan reported from New York.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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