India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) to be build up in Tamil Nadu 15/07/2019 – Posted in: Press Information Bureau

India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO)

(Department of Atomic Energy)

WHAT

The government has approved a project to build the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) at Pottipuram in the Theni District of Tamil Nadu.

The project aims to set up a 51000 ton Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) detector to observe naturally occurring atmospheric neutrinos.

 

India-based NEUTRINO OBSERVATORY

  • INO project is aimed at building a world-class underground laboratory for non-accelerator based high energy and nuclear physics research in India.
  • The India-based Neutrino Observatory will be encompassed by at least a kilometer of rock on all sider to shield against other radiation that could swamp the detector.
  • The INO project does not disturb the ecosystem, as it does not have any radioactive substance. It measures cosmic rays.
  • There is no other neutrino detector anywhere in India at present.
  • ICAL at INO would be the first of its type.

 

The Project includes:

  1. Construction of an underground laboratory
  2. Construction of an Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) detector for studying neutrinos
  3. Setting up of National Centre for High Energy Physics at Madurai, for the operation and maintenance of the underground laboratory, human resource development and detector R&D along with its applications.

 

NEUTRINO

  • Neutrinos are fundamental particles belonging to the lepton family.
  • They come in three flavours, one associated with electrons and the others with their heavier cousins the muon and the Tau.
  • According to the standard model of particle physics, these charge-neutral fundamental particles, have a limited but little mass which is obscure.
  • Determination of neutrino masses and mixing parameters is one of the most significant open problems in physics today.
  • The ICAL detector is designed to address some of these key open problems in a unique way.

 

neutrinos

Neutrinos

 

WHERE ARE NEUTRINOS PRODUCED?

  • Neutrinos are abundantly found in nature.
  • The Sun, the stars and the atmosphere produce millions of neutrinos every second.
  • Most of these neutrinos pass through our body and we do not realize it.
  • They can even pass through the earth and come out on the other side.

 

HOW DO ICAL MEASURE NEUTRINO OSCILLATIONS?

 

ICAL Measure neutrino

ICAL Measure neutrino

 

 

Source: PIB

 

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