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High-Energy Neutrino in the Mediterranean
Context:
Scientists using the KM3NeT (Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope), an observatory under construction deep in the Mediterranean Sea, have detected a record-breaking high-energy neutrino.
Key Findings
- This neutrino, detected by the ARCA detector near Sicily in February 2023, was measured at 120 quadrillion electronvolts—30 times more energetic than any previously observed neutrino.
- It is 1 quadrillion times more energetic than photons (particles of light) and 10,000 times more energetic than particles created in the Large Hadron Collider.
- Researchers believe the neutrino likely originated from beyond the Milky Way galaxy.
- 12 supermassive black holes actively consuming matter in distant galaxies have been identified as possible sources, though other astrophysical phenomena could also be responsible.
Understanding Neutrinos
- Neutrinos are fundamental particles that lack charge, have almost no mass, and rarely interact with matter.
- Unlike other cosmic messengers such as cosmic rays, neutrinos travel in a straight path, allowing scientists to trace their origins.
- “Neutrinos are ghost particles. They travel through walls, all the way through the Earth, and all the way from the edge of the universe,” said physicist Paschal Coyle of France’s Marseille Particle Physics Centre (CPPM).
KM3NeT: A New Tool for Studying the Cosmos
- KM3NeT consists of two major detectors:
- ARCA (3.4 km deep, near Sicily): Designed for detecting high-energy neutrinos.
- ORCA (2.4 km deep, near Provence, France): Designed for detecting low-energy neutrinos.
- This neutrino was traced back to cosmic origins based on its horizontal trajectory and its journey through 140 km of rock and seawater.
- Neutrino observatories like KM3NeT and IceCube (in Antarctica) use underwater or ice-based detection to capture rare neutrino interactions that produce Cherenkov radiation, a faint flash of light.
Why Neutrinos Matter?
- Traditional cosmic observations rely on light (electromagnetic radiation), but many cosmic events cannot be studied using light alone.
- Neutrinos provide a new window into the universe, helping scientists understand some of the most energetic and extreme cosmic events such as:
- Black holes consuming matter
- Gamma-ray bursts from stellar explosions
- High-energy cosmic ray interactions
Next Steps in Neutrino Research
- The KM3NeT detectors are still under construction and will continue expanding capabilities for detecting neutrinos.
- Understanding high-energy neutrinos is crucial for unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos and tracking the origins of the most energetic processes in the universe.
