China constructs world’s biggest deep-sea telescope for cosmic neutrino exploration
China Begins Construction of Giant Neutrino Telescope in South China Sea
Scientists from China have embarked on an ambitious project to build a massive neutrino telescope in the South China Sea. This groundbreaking initiative, named “Trident” or “Hailing” in Chinese, aims to unravel the mysteries surrounding the origin of cosmic rays and explore the farthest reaches of the universe.
Expected to be completed by 2030, Trident is set to become the world’s largest and most advanced neutrino telescope, according to the project team. The telescope will be securely fixed on the seabed, positioned at a depth of 3.5 kilometers in the western Pacific Ocean. Its primary function will be to scan the surrounding seawater in search of flashes of light that occur when cosmic neutrinos collide with water molecules.
The first phase of the project has commenced in the South China Sea, with plans to complete an initial small installation by 2026. “By utilizing the Earth as a shield, Trident will be able to detect neutrinos penetrating from the opposite side of the planet,” explained Shu Donglian, chief scientist of the project and a professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University.
Aside from its role in investigating the origin of cosmic rays, the telescope will also contribute to the study of space-time symmetries, quantum gravity, and indirectly, the mysterious dark matter.
Cosmic rays continuously bombard Earth’s atmosphere, yet even after their discovery over a hundred years ago, scientists are still uncertain about their source. However, within cosmic rays lie elusive subatomic particles called neutrinos, which have the potential to serve as a powerful tool in revealing cosmic origins, according to SecurityLab.ru.
The Chinese team asserts that Trident will possess much greater sensitivity than existing neutrino telescopes. It is projected to have up to 10,000 times more capabilities than the IceCube Observatory situated at the South Pole.
The Trident project, with an operational lifespan of 20 years, comprises 1,200 vertical strings of sensors deployed on the seabed.
Funding for the pilot phase of the project comes from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, the Government of Shanghai, and Shanghai Jiaotong University.
With the construction of this groundbreaking neutrino telescope, China is poised to contribute significantly to unlocking the secrets of our universe and advancing scientific understanding.
[ORIENT news]
