A team of researchers at Colorado School of Mines has made a breakthrough in understanding neutrinos, one of the universe’s most mysterious particles. Led by Postdoctoral Researcher Joseph Smolsky and Associate Professor of Physics Kyle Leach, the team used a novel precision measurement technique to constrain the spatial extent of neutrinos for the first time.
Unlike traditional particle physics experiments, the BeEST experiment takes a different approach. By embedding radioactive beryllium atoms into superconducting sensors thinner than a human hair, researchers can track decay processes with unprecedented accuracy. This allows them to infer properties of neutrinos that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Neutrinos are abundant but difficult to study due to their rare interactions with other particles. The BeEST experiment overcomes this challenge by leveraging quantum entanglement. By measuring the behavior of lithium atoms produced in radioactive decay, researchers can gain direct access to neutrino properties.
The team’s results improve upon all previous experimental limits on neutrino spatial extent and offer crucial insights for theoretical models. These findings have far-reaching implications, including refining the standard model of particle physics and improving methods for detecting neutrinos from nuclear reactors and astrophysical sources.
The BeEST experiment is a collaborative effort involving Mines’ Physics Department and Quantum Engineering and Nuclear Engineering programs, with major contributions from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, TRIUMF (Canada), and institutions across Europe. The work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Source: https://www.minesnewsroom.com/news/new-nature-article-outlines-how-research-led-mines-achieved-breakthrough-our-understanding