Скачать или смотреть World's Largest Neutrino Detector in China Nears Operation

China’s Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), located in Guangdong province, has entered a crucial phase as it begins the process of filling its massive detector with ultra-pure water. This step marks the final milestone before the facility officially starts collecting scientific data on neutrinos—commonly referred to as "ghost particles"—in August next year.The ultra-pure water, which undergoes meticulous filtration through advanced systems, began flowing into JUNO’s detector on December 18 at a rate of 100 tons per hour. The project is managed by the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and is poised to contribute significant advancements to the field of particle physics.At the core of JUNO lies a colossal spherical detector designed to measure neutrinos produced by two nuclear power plants located nearby. This detector, buried 700 meters underground, will contain 20,000 tons of liquid scintillator—a sensitive medium that emits light when neutrinos interact with it. The liquid scintillator will be suspended within an outer shield of 35,000 tons of ultra-pure water, which serves to block external radiation and other interference.