中微子—原子核相互作用首获观测 打开核物理和粒子物理研究新窗口

Core Insights - A team of scientists led by the University of Oxford has observed solar neutrinos triggering a rare nuclear reaction that converts carbon atoms into nitrogen atoms, marking a significant breakthrough in the study of neutrino interactions with atomic nuclei [1][2] Group 1: Neutrino Research - Neutrinos are among the most mysterious particles in the universe, and their direct detection has been a long-standing challenge in particle physics [1] - The experiment utilized the SNO+ neutrino detector located approximately 2,000 meters underground in Sudbury, Canada, focusing on a rare interaction where high-energy solar neutrinos collide with carbon-13 nuclei [1][2] Group 2: Experimental Results - During the observation period from May 4, 2022, to June 29, 2023, the experiment recorded approximately 5.6 relevant events, statistically aligning with the theoretical expectation of 4.7 events from solar neutrinos [2] - This achievement represents the lowest energy measurement of the neutrino-carbon-13 nuclear interaction to date and provides the first direct measurement of the reaction cross-section for this process [2]