Scientists using IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica detect seven potential astrophysical tau neutrinos that passed through Earth | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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    Scientists using IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica detect seven potential astrophysical tau neutrinos that passed through Earth

    Posted 18 Mar 2024

    Updated 28 Mar 2024

    2 min read

    • Astrophysical neutrinos are high-energy neutrinos that originate from the farthest reaches beyond our galaxy.
      • As they travel massive distances undisturbed, they can help us understand about evolution of universe.

     

    • About Neutrinos 
      • Neutrinos are subatomic particles that have no electrical charge and very small mass, which might even be zero.
      • They are the most abundant particles in the universe and they have very little interaction with matter.
      • Neutrinos travel close to speed of light and are incredibly difficult to detect, hence called “ghost particles”.
      • They are produced through many natural processes such as Sun’s nuclear reactions, particle decays in Earth etc., particle accelerators and nuclear power plants. 
      • Neutrinos come in three different flavors: electron, muon and tau.

     

    • About IceCube, the South Pole Neutrino Observatory
      • It is a cubic-kilometer neutrino particle detector, located near the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
      • IceCube is the first gigaton neutrino detector ever built and was primarily designed to observe neutrinos from the most violent astrophysical sources.
      • It uses “strings” (cables) of digital optical modules (DOMs) to detect neutrinos. 
      • In 2013, IceCube presented its first evidence of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos originating from cosmic accelerators.

     

    India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) Project

    • It is aimed at building underground laboratory for studying neutrinos.
    • It is jointly funded by Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology.
    • Location: Pottipuram in Bodi West hills of Theni District of Tamil Nadu.
    • Tags :
    • IceCube
    • Neutrinos
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