NoVA
Source: HINDU
Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.
Context
- Scientists presented the latest results from the NOvA collaboration at a conference in Italy on June 17.
- They said the collaboration had acquired twice as much data as it had during NOvA’s previous run, four years ago.
- The new results complemented the previous ones with greater precision.
Details
About Neutrinos
- Nature of Neutrinos:
- Subatomic particles with no electric charge.
- Have a small mass and are left-handed (spin opposite to motion).
- Second-most abundant particles in the universe after photons.
- Production:
- Produced when leptons (such as muons, electrons, and tauons) interact with matter.
- Rarely interact with matter, making them difficult to study.
https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/neutrinos-37
Importance of Studying Neutrinos
- Technological Advancements: Neutrinos have the potential to revolutionize technology due to their unique properties.
- Scientific Interest: Crucial for understanding fundamental physics and the universe’s evolution.
- Communication:
- Neutrinos can pass through most matter untouched, making them potential carriers of information across large distances.
- Could revolutionize communication technologies, especially where electromagnetic waves are ineffective (e.g., underwater).
Challenges in Neutrino Detection
- Low Interaction Rate: Neutrinos interact with matter very rarely (e.g., a muon-neutrino interacts with an atom’s nucleus once in a million times).
- Large Detectors Required: Detectors need fine tracking capabilities and large volumes to maximize interactions.
NOvA Experiment Overview
- Acronym: NuMI Off-axis νe Appearance (NuMI Off-axis Electron Neutrino Appearance).
- Location: Minnesota, U.S and extends to northern Minnesota.
- Managed by: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
- Setup: Creates a beam of neutrinos that travel 800 km to a 14,000-tonne detector.
Objectives of NOvA
- Role of Neutrinos in Cosmic Evolution:
- Determine which neutrino type has the most mass.
- Understanding neutrino mass could answer fundamental physics questions.
- Mechanism of Mass Acquisition: Neutrinos may gain mass through a different mechanism than other particles.
- Explore CP Violation in the Lepton Sector: Investigate whether neutrinos and antineutrinos behave differently, which could explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe.
Neutrino vs. Antineutrino
Property |
Neutrino |
Antineutrino |
Definition |
Subatomic particle with no charge and half-integer spin |
Antiparticle with no charge and half-integer spin |
Lepton Number |
Positive lepton number (+1) |
Negative lepton number (-1) |
Chirality |
Left-handed helicity |
Right-handed helicity |
Weak Isospin |
+1/2 |
-1/2 |
Interactions |
Weak interaction and gravity |
Weak interaction and gravity |
Production |
Produced in beta decay and other weak interactions |
Produced in beta decay and other weak interactions |
Detection |
Produces negatively charged electrons upon interaction |
Produces positively charged positrons upon interaction |
Matter vs. Antimatter
Property |
Matter |
Antimatter |
Definition |
Composed of particles such as electrons, protons, and neutrons |
Composed of antiparticles such as positrons, antiprotons, and antineutrons |
Charge |
Particles have positive or negative charge |
Antiparticles have opposite charges to their corresponding particles |
Mass |
Positive mass |
Positive mass (same as corresponding particles) |
Spin |
Half-integer spin |
Half-integer spin (same as corresponding particles) |
Interaction |
Subject to electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces |
Subject to electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces (opposite charges cause different interaction behavior) |
Annihilation |
When matter and antimatter collide, they annihilate, producing energy (photons) |
When antimatter and matter collide, they annihilate, producing energy (photons) |
Examples |
Electrons, protons, neutrons |
Positrons, antiprotons, antineutrons |
Historical Context
- Neutrino Astronomy:
- Began with the detection of neutrinos from a supernova in 1987.
- Neutrinos detected before the light from the explosion reached Earth.
- Mass Discovery:
- Initially thought to be massless like photons.
- Evidence in the late 1990s from Japan and Canada showed neutrinos have mass and can oscillate between types.
The Neutrino Mass Hierarchy
- Neutrino Oscillation: Neutrinos change types as they travel long distances.
- Mass Hierarchy Models:
- Normal Order: One type is much heavier, and the other two have lower comparable masses.
- Inverted Order: One type is lighter, and the other two have higher comparable masses.
Experimental Setup
- Neutrino Beam: Utilizes the NuMI (Neutrinos at the Main Injector) beam, which is one of the most intense neutrino beams in the world.
- Detectors: Consists of two detectors:
- Near Detector: Located at Fermilab, it measures the unoscillated neutrino beam composition.
- Far Detector: Located 810 kilometers away in Ash River, Minnesota, it detects the oscillated beam and identifies electron neutrino appearances
Key Technologies and Methods
- Liquid Scintillator Detectors: Both detectors use liquid scintillator technology to detect interactions by producing light when neutrinos interact with the detector material.
- Deep Learning and Data Analysis: NOvA employs advanced machine learning techniques to improve event classification and data analysis, significantly enhancing sensitivity to oscillation parameters.
Subatomic Particles
- Subatomic particles are the fundamental constituents of matter, and they fall into two main categories: elementary particles and composite particles.
Elementary Particles
- These particles are not composed of other particles. They include quarks, leptons, and gauge bosons.
Category |
Particle |
Symbol |
Charge |
Mass (MeV/c²) |
Spin |
Generation |
Interactions |
Quarks |
Up Quark |
u |
+2/3 e |
2.2 |
1/2 |
1 |
Strong, Weak, EM |
Down Quark |
d |
-1/3 e |
4.7 |
1/2 |
1 |
Strong, Weak, EM |
|
Charm Quark |
c |
+2/3 e |
1,280 |
1/2 |
2 |
Strong, Weak, EM |
|
Strange Quark |
s |
-1/3 e |
96 |
1/2 |
2 |
Strong, Weak, EM |
|
Top Quark |
t |
+2/3 e |
173,000 |
1/2 |
3 |
Strong, Weak, EM |
|
Bottom Quark |
b |
-1/3 e |
4,180 |
1/2 |
3 |
Strong, Weak, EM |
|
Leptons |
Electron |
e⁻ |
-1 e |
0.511 |
1/2 |
1 |
Weak, EM |
Electron Neutrino |
νₑ |
0 |
<0.0000022 |
1/2 |
1 |
Weak |
|
Muon |
μ⁻ |
-1 e |
105.66 |
1/2 |
2 |
Weak, EM |
|
Muon Neutrino |
νμ |
0 |
<0.17 |
1/2 |
2 |
Weak |
|
Tau |
τ⁻ |
-1 e |
1,776.86 |
1/2 |
3 |
Weak, EM |
|
Tau Neutrino |
ντ |
0 |
<18.2 |
1/2 |
3 |
Weak |
|
Gauge Bosons |
Photon |
γ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
- |
EM |
Gluon |
g |
0 |
0 |
1 |
- |
Strong |
|
W Boson |
W⁺, W⁻ |
±1 e |
80,379 |
1 |
- |
Weak |
|
Z Boson |
Z⁰ |
0 |
91,188 |
1 |
- |
Weak |
|
Higgs Boson |
H⁰ |
0 |
125,100 |
0 |
- |
- |
Composite Particles
- These particles are composed of quarks held together by the strong force. They include baryons and mesons.
Category |
Particle |
Symbol |
Charge |
Mass (MeV/c²) |
Spin |
Quark Composition |
Interactions |
Baryons |
Proton |
p |
+1 e |
938.27 |
1/2 |
uud |
Strong, Weak, EM |
Neutron |
n |
0 |
939.57 |
1/2 |
udd |
Strong, Weak |
|
Mesons |
Pion |
π⁺, π⁻, π⁰ |
±1 e, 0 |
139.57, 135.0 |
0 |
u anti-d, d anti-u, (u anti-u or d anti-d) |
Strong, Weak |
Kaon |
K⁺, K⁻, K⁰ |
±1 e, 0 |
493.67 |
0 |
u anti-s, s anti-u |
Strong, Weak |
Fundamental Forces and Their Mediators
Force |
Mediator |
Symbol |
Relative Strength |
Range |
Gravitational |
Graviton* |
G |
Weakest |
Infinite |
Electromagnetic |
Photon |
γ |
10³⁶ times gravity |
Infinite |
Weak Nuclear |
W and Z Bosons |
W⁺, W⁻, Z⁰ |
10²⁵ times gravity |
Very short (~10⁻¹⁸ m) |
Strong Nuclear |
Gluon |
g |
10³⁸ times gravity |
Very short (~10⁻¹⁵ m) |
*Graviton is hypothetical and has not yet been observed.
Explanation of Terms
- Charge: Represents the electric charge of the particle.
- Mass (MeV/c²): The mass of the particle in mega-electronvolts per speed of light squared.
- Spin: Intrinsic form of angular momentum carried by particles.
- Generation: Refers to the different families of quarks and leptons based on their mass and interaction strength.
- Interactions: Types of fundamental forces the particle participates in.
Global Efforts in Neutrino Research
Must Read Articles:
Classification of Elementary Particles
Sources:
PRACTICE QUESTION Q: Consider the following statements about subatomic particles:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3 Answer: (d) |