On November 20th, the main structure of the Jiangmen Neutrino Experiment Detector was completed in Kaiping, Jiangmen, marking the beginning of a new phase for the major scientific initiative. The detector is expected to complete the filling of ultra-pure water and liquid scintillator by August 2025 and begin formal data collection.
The Jiangmen Neutrino Experiment is located 700 meters underground in Kaiping. It is a liquid scintillator detector primarily aimed at measuring the mass hierarchy of neutrinos. Neutrinos are fundamental particles that make up the material world, yet they are extremely difficult to detect, and many of their properties remain unresolved. The site selection for the experiment was carried out with rigorous calculations, and the final location was chosen in an area 50 to 55 kilometers away from the Yangjiang and Taishan nuclear power plants to achieve optimal measurement sensitivity. The main detector consists of a 41.1-meter-diameter stainless steel mesh shell, which houses a 35.4-meter-diameter acrylic sphere filled with 20,000 tons of liquid scintillator. The detector is also equipped with tens of thousands of photomultiplier tubesand other critical devices. It is buried deep underground and surrounded by ultra-pure water to shield it from surface-level interference signals.
The liquid scintillator is used to capture the faint light signals produced when neutrinos interact with matter. These signals are detected and amplified by photomultiplier tubes, providing data support for neutrino research. Currently, the main structure has been fully installed, and the next step will be to begin filling it with the liquid scintillator.
Wang Yifang, the director of the Institute of High Energy Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated that the Jiangmen Neutrino Experiment holds significant importance for fundamental scientific research in fields such as particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. The construction of the experiment has driven a series of breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies, such as the development of new photomultiplier tubes, high-performance liquid scintillators, and the design of ultra-large detectors. Currently, the experiment has attracted 74 institutions from 17 countries and regions, making it a key global collaboration platform for neutrino research.
Source: Lingnan on the Cloud
江门中微子实验探测器主体建成
11月20日，江门中微子实验探测器主体在江门开平正式建成，标志着这一重大科学项目进入新阶段。探测器将于2025年8月完成超纯水和液体闪烁体的灌装，并正式运行取数。
江门中微子实验位于开平市地下700米深处，是一个以测量中微子质量顺序为主要目标的液体闪烁体探测器。中微子是构成物质世界的基本粒子之一，极难探测，仍有许多未解之谜。实验选址经过严格计算，最终选定距离阳江和台山核电站50至55公里的区域，以获得最佳测量灵敏度。探测器主体包括一个直径41.1米的不锈钢网壳，内部装有直径35.4米的有机玻璃球和2万吨液体闪烁体，并配备数万光电倍增管等关键设备，深埋于地下并被超纯水环绕，以屏蔽地表干扰信号。
液体闪烁体用于捕捉中微子与物质相互作用产生的微弱光信号。这些信号由光电倍增管捕捉并放大，为中微子研究提供数据支撑。目前，探测器主体完成安装，下一步将开展液体闪烁体灌装工作。
中国科学院高能物理研究所所长王贻芳表示，江门中微子实验对粒子物理、天体物理和宇宙学等基础科学研究具有重要意义。实验的建设推动了一系列前沿技术突破，如新型光电倍增管、高性能液体闪烁体研制和超大型探测器设计。目前，该实验吸引了17个国家和地区的74家机构参与，成为全球中微子研究的重要合作平台。
文｜羊城晚报记者 陈卓栋
译｜林佳岱
英文审校｜赵凡