This giant field just joined the search for “ghost molecules”

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Neutrino tests a long time – a particle close to the mass without a shipment – the boundaries of the creativity of physicists, but sometimes The answer is only to go to a large degree. The largest detector of them all joined the search for the so -called “ghost molecules”.

After a construction decade, the Jiangmen Observatory began underground China (Jono) to take data on August 26. The giant and irrigated detector lies about 2300 feet (700 meters) under the ground and collects Antineutrino signals from two nuclear manufacturers 33 miles (53 km).

The field contains 20,000 tons of liquid shine that wears whenever Intineutrino Zips. It is surrounded by a 44 -foot water gathering detector (44 meters) lined with tubes that pick up these gifts and turn them into signals that scientists can analyze.

Juno Neutrino Detector Engineer checks the PMTS
An engineer with Juno’s cooperation checks the pipes that transforms antineutrino reactions into electrical signals. Credit: Juno Cooperation

As anti -neutrino, antineutrinos is supposed to have the same neutrone mass. Using this feature, Juno scientists hope to better understand the nature of the neutrino mass, which works physics theory according to strange quantum mechanical principles.

Neutrons strange, period

Evidence indicates that neutrone trillion passes through us every second. But since they rarely interact with anything, it is difficult to confirm their existence – which is clear, to be clear, our finished a lot Times, But not without much time and effort (and perhaps many physical tears).

If this is not enough to trouble, the neutrons also come in three distinctive flavors: electron, monon, and Tau. The neutrons fluctuate between the different flavors in a process known as oscillation. There are also three specific blocks associated with neutrone, mass 1, mass 2, and mass 3.

But here is the fishing: physicists still do not know the flavor that corresponds to the bloc number – if any. This is because the annoying nuisance rules of quantum mechanics are strong Suggest Each neutrino flavor is a mixture of different mass cases.

So far, physicists believe that some neutrino blocks have a little higher chance to appear as a certain flavor, but they have not yet found a conclusive answer. This distinguished question regarding the arrangement of neutrino fans is one of Juno’s main goals.

The future is bright, e, glamorous

Even before the official launch of Juno, the huge detector discovered antineutrino signals in a proactive way, and the main performance indicators “MET or exceeded design expectations”, announced Juno’s cooperation in A. Release.

Juno 0824 Nitrino signal
Juno caught the Antineutrino signal on August 24, two days before its official launch. Credit: Juno Cooperation

“For the first time, we have detected this scale and accuracy for neutrons,” Juno spokesman Yivang Wang said in the statement. “Juno will be allowed to answer the basic questions about the nature of matter and the universe.”

Moreover, the high allergy to Juno can also investigate the relevant questions in particle physics, such as the discovery of sterile neutrons or the investigation of proton decomposition. Currently, Juno is scheduled to run for up to 30 years, during or after and after that he may receive promotions to increase its sensitivity. Either way, there is no doubt that we will soon see a tremendous science coming from Juno.



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