【中国新闻网】中国江门中微子实验正式运行 将回答物质和宇宙本质问题

Core Viewpoint - The Jiangmen Neutrino Experiment (JUNO) has successfully completed the filling of 20,000 tons of liquid scintillator and has officially begun data collection, marking a significant milestone in neutrino research and particle physics [3][4]. Group 1: Experiment Overview - JUNO is the first large-scale neutrino experiment of its kind in the world, designed to address fundamental questions about the nature of matter and the universe [3]. - The experiment is located 700 meters underground in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province, and can detect neutrinos from nuclear power plants located 53 kilometers away [4]. - The design lifespan of the JUNO project is 30 years, with potential upgrades to enhance its sensitivity for future experiments [4]. Group 2: Technical Achievements - The initial data collected during the trial operation indicates that the detector's key performance metrics have met or exceeded design expectations [4]. - The experiment aims to resolve significant issues in particle physics, such as the mass ordering of neutrinos, specifically whether the third type of neutrino is heavier than the second [4]. Group 3: International Collaboration - The JUNO project involves collaboration among 700 researchers from 74 institutions across 17 countries and regions, highlighting its international significance [5]. - The success of the experiment is attributed to effective international cooperation, particularly in advancing liquid scintillator detection technology [5]. Group 4: Construction and Technical Requirements - The construction of JUNO required meticulous planning, testing, and adherence to strict material purity and safety standards [6]. - The core detector consists of a 20,000-ton liquid scintillator housed in a 41.1-meter diameter stainless steel structure, equipped with thousands of photomultiplier tubes to detect neutrino interactions [7][8].