ID :
179579
Tue, 05/03/2011 - 12:50
Auther :

S. Korea to start study on neutrino detection in July


SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists will kick off full-fledged research on neutrino particles in July in an effort to help unravel the mystery of the universe's creation, the government said Tuesday.
South Korea completed a neutrino oscillation (RENO) experiment facility near a nuclear power plant 330 kilometers south of Seoul in February, at least one year ahead of similar projects underway abroad, giving local experts a clear advantage over their foreign rivals.
"The goal of upcoming tests is to determine the exact oscillation of electron neutrinos into muon neutrinos," the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said.
Scientists led by Seoul National University physics professor Kim Soo-bong will start full-fledged experiments this summer and if progress is made, "meaningful" results may be announced in seven or eight months, it said.
Determining the oscillation or change rate of neutrinos as it travels through space can help scientists better determine the exact nature of the particles that are key components of the universe, the ministry said.
"Because neutrinos move close to the speed of light, have almost no mass, and are electrically neutral, they are particularly hard to detect and understand."
Kim, meanwhile, said that although the plan is to collect data for three years, there is a good chance that promising results may be found sooner.
"Based on the findings, international efforts can begin on studies such as imbalance between matter and antimatter following the Big Bang," he said. "Such studies can answer fundamental questions related to the universe."
Construction of RENO began in March 2006, roughly three years behind rivals in France and China. The facility also cost less, with Seoul spending 11.7 billion won (US$10.8 million) compared to 50 billion won being used on the Chinese facility, and around 35 billion won for the testing site in France.
Scientists in Japan and Canada have already determined the oscillation rate of muon and tau neutrinos, but no headway has been made on the electron neutrino because this particle has the smallest oscillation rate.
yonngong@yna.co.kr

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