NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — In the pursuit of unlocking some of the universe‘s most profound mysteries, scientists are turning to the depths of the ocean to construct a new generation of deep-sea neutrino telescopes. These cutting-edge instruments promise to be a remarkable 10,000 times more sensitive than the largest neutrino observatory of today, the renowned IceCube, located in Antarctica at the Amundsen-Scott station.
Cosmic rays, those streams of charged particles originating from the vastness of space, have perplexed scientists for over a century. These particles, some of which carry incredibly high speeds and energies, constantly shower Earth‘s atmosphere from all directions. Yet, the exact nature and origins of these high-energy cosmic rays remain a mystery, leaving scientists to ponder how and where they acquire such immense energies.
One prevailing theory in the realm of astrophysics posits that cosmic rays transport high-energy neutrinos, minute elementary particles that move in straight lines without altering their course, experiencing no decay and exhibiting resistance to absorption by the interstellar medium. Remarkably, neutrinos can traverse the Earth’s atmosphere and the planet itself without deviation, unimpeded even by Earth’s magnetic field. This exceptional characteristic has led to their nickname as “ghost particles.”
Most cosmic rays are primarily composed of protons. When these protons collide with atomic nuclei, such as during their interactions with active galactic nuclei, the vicinity of black holes, or pulsars, they give rise to mesons. As mesons decay, among their offspring are high-energy cosmic neutrinos. Another type of neutrino can emerge when cosmic rays enter Earth’s atmosphere. In these scenarios, proton-air atom collisions generate charged pions, which, in turn, decay into high-energy muon neutrinos.
Neutrinos, while carrying mass, possess an exceedingly minute mass, not exceeding 0.8 electronvolts. For comparison, the mass of an electron is approximately 511,000 electronvolts. It’s as if neutrinos are unencumbered by barriers, easily penetrating through objects, individuals, and the Earth itself. Furthermore, neutrinos exhibit minimal interactions with matter, rendering their capture and study a daunting task. This attribute has earned them the moniker “ghost particles.”
Several decades ago, scientists uncovered a captivating phenomenon associated with neutrinos. When these elusive particles traverse the Earth, they weakly interact with water molecules and, at considerable depths, give rise to “by-products.” These by-products manifest as streams of muons that emit Cherenkov radiation in the form of a distinct blue glow at precise angles. By studying these “flares,” physicists can discern the muon’s direction and energy, thus shedding light on the source of the neutrino.
To facilitate this research, scientists have erected specialized telescopes, positioned either underwater or underground, often employing massive reservoirs of water. The substantial volume of water enhances the spatial range within which neutrinos can travel. This water must remain pristine, devoid of impurities that might influence the course of neutrinos or their detection. Typically, these systems consist of detectors, spatial arrays of photomultipliers, capable of capturing Cherenkov light.
It is through these colossal detectors that scientists hope to isolate cosmic neutrinos from the sea of tiny elementary particles. These detectors, employing vast volumes of water or ice as their “working material,” facilitate the task. The largest neutrino telescope in operation today is the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, an array of optical detectors embedded in the Antarctic ice. Launched in 2010, it boasts a working volume of one cubic kilometer. During its tenure, IceCube has unearthed ultra-high-energy neutrinos believed to originate from outside our Solar System and has facilitated the creation of the first neutrino map of the Milky Way.
Another substantial installation is found in Russia, in Lake Baikal, aptly named Baikal-GVD. Operational since 2021, Baikal-GVD, unlike IceCube, is submerged at depth, albeit with a slightly smaller working volume.
Recent revelations have unveiled China‘s ambitions to construct a new generation of deep-sea neutrino telescope. Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University have detailed their innovative telescope, known as “Trident,” in the journal Nature Astronomy. The chosen location for this ambitious project is the South China Sea, situated not too far from the equator, approximately 540 kilometers south of Hong Kong. The telescope will be positioned on the flat seabed at a depth of 3.5 kilometers.
Project leader Jing Yipeng explained, “Since our system will be located close to the equator, as the Earth rotates, it will be able to capture neutrinos from all directions. This will allow us to conduct observations without any blind spots.”
The Trident installation will feature over 24,000 optical sensors, dwarfing the approximately 5,000 sensors in IceCube. These sensors will be arranged into 1,211 vertical “strings,” each extending 700 meters in length. They are designed to detect Cherenkov light emitted by muons created when neutrinos interact with hydrogen or oxygen atoms in water molecules.
Trident, with an estimated working volume of about 7.5 cubic kilometers, will scrutinize seawater in search of traces of interactions by ultra-high-energy neutrinos. It is poised to be a monumental leap in sensitivity, offering capabilities that are a remarkable 10,000 times more potent than those of the IceCube system.
Construction of the Trident telescope is expected to be completed in phases by 2026. The installation’s operational life span is designed to extend for 20 years, with full completion projected by 2030. Work on this groundbreaking deep-sea neutrino telescope has already commenced.
The authors of the project anticipate that Trident will play a pivotal role in resolving the age-old enigma of the cosmic ray origins, testing space-time symmetries, exploring quantum gravity, and indirectly detecting dark matter. This ambitious undertaking promises to deepen our understanding of the cosmos, shedding light on some of the universe’s most enduring mysteries.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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