800,000 Tons of Rock Excavated for Massive Underground Neutrino Detector (energy.gov)
- Reference: 0175203047
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/10/07/0359250/800000-tons-of-rock-excavated-for-massive-underground-neutrino-detector
- Source link: https://www.energy.gov/science/articles/digging-neutrino-research
"The caverns they excavated will hold a massive particle detector and accompanying equipment."
> Along with partners from more than 35 countries, the Department of Energy's Office of Science is supporting the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility ( [3]LBNF-DUNE )... To study how neutrinos change type as they travel, LBNF-DUNE will be sending a stream of neutrinos from DOE's Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois [nearly 600 miles away] to South Dakota. At the beginning and end of the particles' journey, detectors will measure the types of neutrinos and antineutrinos. By comparing the rates of how both particles change type, scientists may find a difference that accounts for that ancient misalignment.
There's also hope they'll detect neutrinos from supernovae explosions — and maybe even decaying protons
> LBNF-DUNE will use massive, seven-story tall detectors. Each detector will have 17,000 tons of liquid argon. That vast quantity of liquid maximizes the likelihood that scientists will detect as many neutrinos as possible. The far detector — the one in South Dakota — will be located about a mile underground. That distance places it in the right location compared to Fermilab and blocks the detector from other cosmic particles.
"Just carrying out the excavation took three years," the announcement notes. ("The team had to dissemble the equipment, move it deep underground, and then reassemble it.) The 800,000 tons of rock were moved to the surface and then stored in a former mine.
"Now that the excavation is complete, the LBNF-DUNE team is moving on to the next steps. Currently, they are installing the far detector in the Sanford Underground Research Facility. They anticipate finishing construction and starting to operate the detector in 2028. The team will then move on to installing the near detector at Fermilab.
"The launch of LBNF/DUNE will be the beginning of a new era in understanding neutrinos and knowing more about our universe as a whole."
[1] https://news.fnal.gov/2024/08/underground-event-marks-excavation-completion-on-colossal-caverns-for-underground-neutrino-laboratory-dune/
[2] https://www.energy.gov/science/articles/digging-neutrino-research
[3] https://lbnf-dune.fnal.gov/
Excavated? (Score:2)
I glanced over TFA and I couldn't confirm this but; any reasons they didn't use dynamite?
Tunnels through rock usually use that method. It's been used for railway tunnels etc. for ages.
Even in a city where I lived, they used dynamite to clear the rock under a street to install new water and sewer bigger pipes deeper than the old ones although in another city with the same use case, I have been told dynamiting was forbidden by that city in their case so it took them ages compared to the other city.
Anyway, may
Re: (Score:3)
> I glanced over TFA and I couldn't confirm this but; any reasons they didn't use dynamite?
> Tunnels through rock usually use that method. It's been used for railway tunnels etc. for ages.
> Even in a city where I lived, they used dynamite to clear the rock under a street to install new water and sewer bigger pipes deeper than the old ones although in another city with the same use case, I have been told dynamiting was forbidden by that city in their case so it took them ages compared to the other city.
> Anyway, maybe it would have taken less time than 3 years using dynamite if indeed they didn't use any and I assume they are far from any city.
> Or, maybe they did use dynamite but don't mention to sound somehow more politically correct. My inquiring mind is curious...
There is a link in TFA to an article about the construction [1]https://news.fnal.gov/2021/05/... [fnal.gov] It doesn't mention dynamite as such but "blasting".
[1] https://news.fnal.gov/2021/05/construction-crews-start-lowering-equipment-a-mile-underground-for-excavation-for-dune/
Re: (Score:1)
For doing tunnels that are long and uniform, blasting comes out as more expensive and takes longer to do.
Blasting can be done for a small area and with little setup.
[1]https://bestsupportunderground... [bestsuppor...ground.com]
[1] https://bestsupportunderground.com/tbm-drill-and-blast/?lang=en
Re: (Score:3)
I know it's futile I respond to this. I'd just like to point out the precious hypocrisy of claiming that something is both unfalsifiable and wrong. Unless all things that are unfalsifiable in your weltanschauung are automatically 'wrong', you've presented a cute contradiction of your own claims.
Re: (Score:3)
Errr...and from where do you think experiments come? They must grow on trees in your world. Your problem appears to be that you have no understanding of mathematics. All math does not necessarily intersect with the real world, you could say it is unverifiable. And verifiable for a physical theory means only verifiable up to an epsilon of error. Math is perfect, our measuring apparatus is not. What is important in mathematics is that it be consistent. Is Hilbert's geometry verifiable? No. It is however inter
Re: (Score:1)
Hi ChatGPT. Write a few trolling sentences about physics. Use incorrect spelling and grammar. Thank you.
Re: (Score:2)
> the sooner we throw out this trash the better.
The only thing worthwhile in that post was its self-summary.
Re: (Score:1)
There are only two options:
Either your powerful mind made this post appear out of nowhere in the /. web site ...
Or: you used a device like a computer or a phone: that is completely running on quantum effects. Even the display is based on quantum effects.
By the way: word like "unfalsifiable" do not exist. How many not s can you put into a single world? You probably wanted to say something like nonantiunfalsifiable?
Re: (Score:2)
Don't forget that if you throw out Quantum physics, you lose semiconductors, tablets, smart phones, and computers, CD ROMs amongst other useful items.
At least people wouldn't be able to post drivel (or anything else).
How is a stream of neutrinos generated? (Score:1)
It hadn't occurred to me that neutrinos could be generated with a preferred direction. Would someone care to explain how it is done?
I asked Gemini and I post excerpts form its replies. I'm confident enough to reject one but I don't know about the other
- How can one send a stream of neutrinos?
-- "By colliding high-energy particles (like protons or electrons) in a particle accelerator, neutrinos can be produced as a byproduct. These neutrinos can then be directed using magnetic fields, but controlling t
How much is 800,000 tons? (Score:1)
How much is 800,000 tons? I know they wouldn't have listed the amount in the title unless it was very little or a lot, but which?
Re: (Score:1)
It's a secret. You'll have to read the article to find out.
Re: (Score:3)
About 320,000m.
Re: (Score:3)
320,000 cubic meters. Stupid interface ate the exponent.
Re: (Score:1)
Now I have to take the cubic root to get an idea how big that is!
Damn ... will take a while to do that on paper.
Seems to be a "cube" of roughly 70m length.
For you American unliberated simpletons: for all practical purpose a meter is nearly the same as a yard. Just do not build a house half with meters and half with yards ...
Re: (Score:2)
800,000 tons = 50,000 old man debt days (OMDD), according to [1]the standard [azlyrics.com].
[1] https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tennesseeernieford/sixteentons.html