China's Giant Underground Neutrino Observatory Releases Its First Results (scientificamerican.com) 21
China's new JUNO neutrino observatory has delivered world-leading measurements after just 59 days, offering the most precise readings yet of two key neutrino oscillation parameters. "The physics result is already world-leading in the areas that it touches," says particle physicist Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux of the University of California, Irvine, who co-leads a team on JUNO. "In particular, we measured two neutrino oscillation parameters, and that measurement is already for both parameters the best in the world." The results were published in two separate preprints on arXiv.org. Scientific American reports: JUNO's spherical detector, which is akin to a 13-story-tall fishbowl, primarily measures so-called electron antineutrinos spewing from the nearby Yangjian and Taishan nuclear plants. When the particles strike a proton inside the detector, a reaction triggers two light flashes that ping photomultiplier tubes and get converted into electrical signals. The new measurements from these neutrino-proton collisions are now considered the most precise for two oscillation parameters, which act as proxies for differences in their mass, according to Ochoa-Ricoux.
"It is the first time we've turned on a scientific instrument like JUNO that we've been working on for over a decade. It's just tremendously exciting," Ochoa-Ricoux says. "And then to see that we're able to already do world-leading measurements with it, even with such a small amount of data, that's also really exciting." Still, the physicists will need years' worth of neutrino detections to answer the mass-ordering conundrum.
"It is the first time we've turned on a scientific instrument like JUNO that we've been working on for over a decade. It's just tremendously exciting," Ochoa-Ricoux says. "And then to see that we're able to already do world-leading measurements with it, even with such a small amount of data, that's also really exciting." Still, the physicists will need years' worth of neutrino detections to answer the mass-ordering conundrum.
Re: (Score:1)
Troll.
Re:Thieves (Score:4, Funny)
China's observatory is clearly stealing neutrinos destined to the salt flat of Uyuni (Bolivia-Chile border) as they pass through Jiangmen.
Kudos (Score:5, Insightful)
Kudos to China for doing good, serious basic research, rather than stuff that clearly has an economic payout for business.
Re:Kudos (Score:5, Insightful)
In contrast, the U.S. is cutting basic research simply because the alleged administration cannot see a trail of bread crumbs back to its pocket.
Re:Kudos (Score:4, Informative)
While true, no need to turn a positive thread on China into a nasty thread about the U.S. Thanks.
Re: (Score:1)
But my dictator can beat up your dictator!
Re: Kudos (Score:1)
my dictator can tax the crap out of us with tariffs on imports from your dictator. we sure showed you who the bitch is!
Re: Kudos (Score:1)
you can do that now and find out the u.s. account at the time was nonsense. Go to wikipedia and see.
It's not meant to be a competition (Score:3, Insightful)
"The physics result is already world-leading in the areas that it touches," says particle physicist Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux of the University of California, Irvine, who co-leads a team on JUNO. "In particular, we measured two neutrino oscillation parameters, and that measurement is already for both parameters the best in the world."
"And then to see that we're able to already do world-leading measurements with it
I find the guy's constant repetition of 'world-leading' and 'best in the world' strange. You've got some scientifically interesting results, great, go ahead and publish your findings, why put so much emphasis on what 'the rest of the world' has done in that area? This isn't some kind of 'our neutrino observatory is bigger than your neutrino observatory' contest. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, perhaps the dude is just really excited about his team's findings.
Re:It's not meant to be a competition (Score:5, Insightful)
I find the guy's constant repetition of 'world-leading' and 'best in the world' strange. You've got some scientifically interesting results, great, go ahead and publish your findings, why put so much emphasis on what 'the rest of the world' has done in that area?
I'm sorry but what? TFA uses the term world-leading twice in the entire piece. Likely quite far apart in a very long interview. Why are you so offended that someone points out that China built something big and sensitive that will advance science?
I mean TFA literally sounds like how *anyone* talks about *any* massive construction. You should have seen interviews with CERN physicists. Heck IceCube (back 15 years ago) was talked about identically (no not the washed out rapper, but the previously largest neutrino observatory in Antarctica).
Calm yourself man.
Re: (Score:2)
That's exactly what it is. When your science depends on a big expensive piece of hardware that most or (best) nobody else has, that's what you tend to talk about. Especially in press releases and grant applications.
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Maybe someone with the resources and irritated about not being world leading will put some resources on such fundamental research in the future?
A certain wealthy, large country comes to mind.
Can't wait until they find one (Score:3)
Re: (Score:1)
Dog-whistle for "vagina"
Yep, (Score:4, Insightful)
even more evidence this is going to be China's century.
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Kind of. China has expanded its borders repeatedly over the centuries, at times bordering on the Persian Empire or down to Burma before shrinking back towards its traditional region of influence.