The declaration recognizes the potential of quantum science to drive innovations in sustainable development and global communications.

On 7th June 2024, the United Nations proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ). This year-long, worldwide initiative will celebrate the contributions of quantum science to technological progress over the past century, raise global awareness of its importance to sustainable development in the 21st century, and ensure that all nations have access to quantum education and opportunities.

“Through this proclamation, we will bring quantum STEM education and research to young people in Africa and developing countries around the world with the hope of inspiring the next generation of scientists, “ said Riche-Mike Wellington, Chief Programme Specialist at the Ghana Commission for UNESCO and the Ghanaian representative for IYQ.

IYQ coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of modern quantum mechanics — the theory that describes the behavior of matter and energy at atomic and subatomic scales and has made possible many of the world’s most important technologies. Over the past century, quantum theory has become foundational to physics, chemistry, engineering, and biology and has revolutionized modern electronics and global telecommunications. Inventions like the transistor, lasers, rare-earth magnets, and LEDs  — technologies that brought the internet, computers, solar cells, MRI, and global navigation into fruition — all exist because of quantum mechanics.

Looking forward, advances in quantum applications could enable new computing and communication models with the potential to accelerate innovations in materials science, medicine, and cybersecurity, among other fields. In this way, quantum science and technology is poised to help address the world’s most pressing challenges — including the need to rapidly

develop renewable energy, improve human health, and create global solutions in support of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.

“This second quantum revolution is leading to breakthroughs in using quantum effects like superposition and entanglement for new applications,” said John Doyle, Henry B. Silsbee Professor of Physics at Harvard University, co-director of the Harvard Quantum Initiative, and president-elect of the American Physical Society. “When these phenomena can be applied broadly to control and engineer matter at the level of single quanta, and even single atoms, they will spark transformations in a multitude of technologies.”

The U.N. proclamation is the culmination of a multiyear effort spearheaded by an international coalition of scientific organizations. After Mexico shepherded the coalition’s initial proposal through UNESCO’s 42nd General Conference in November 2023, Ghana formally submitted a draft resolution to the U.N. General Assembly in May 2024 that garnered co-sponsorship from more than 70 countries before its approval today. 

UNESCO will oversee the campaign as the U.N.’s lead agency, while the American Physical Society will administer the campaign through an international consortium and invite scientific societies, academic institutions, philanthropic organizations, and industry to contribute to the initiative. The consortium’s current founding partners include the American Physical Society; the German Physical Society (DPG); the Chinese Optical Society; SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics; and Optica (formerly OSA).

“The American Physical Society welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with scientific organizations from around the world to spread awareness about quantum science and technology,” said Jonathan Bagger, chief executive officer of the American Physical Society. “With worldwide events and programming, we hope to build a vibrant and inclusive global quantum science community.”

Broad, multinational support for IYQ signals the need to strengthen the education, research, and development capacities of governments — especially those of low- and middle-income countries — to advance quantum science and technologies for the benefit of humanity. The U.N. proclamation stands as an open invitation for anyone to learn more — especially those at universities, in K-12 classrooms, and other venues for science communication. Throughout 2025, the IYQ consortium will organize regional, national, and international outreach events, activities, and programming to celebrate and develop learning resources for quantum science, build scientific partnerships that will expand educational and research opportunities in developing countries, and inspire the next generation of diverse quantum pioneers. More information about these activities will be announced in the coming months.

The International Year of Quantum of Quantum Science and Technology  is a year-long, global initiative to recognize the importance of quantum science and technology and strengthen national capacities for science education and research.

The American Physical Society is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance physics by fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and global community dedicated to science and society. APS represents more than 50,000 members, including physicists in academia, national laboratories, and industry in the United States and around the world.

Rendering of the southern array site, CTAO-South, located in Chile. Credit: CTAO

Bologna, Italy – On 6 September 2023, the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory’s (CTAO’s) two governing bodies, the Board of Governmental Representatives (BGR) and the CTAO gGmbH Council, gathered to agree on the significant forthcoming measures to advance the Observatory to its construction phase. During the meeting, both bodies unanimously certified their commitment to the progress of the CTAO, including a foreseen endorsement of up to approximately 30 million euro for 2024. This represents a significant increase in annual funding, which will enable the Observatory to not only move forward with substantial infrastructure development but also to double its workforce.

The CTAO is in the process of a two-step application to transition from a gGmbH (under the German law) to a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC, under the European law). While the first step has been completed, discussions with the European Commission concerning the second step are still ongoing. The agreement between the BGR, comprised of representatives of the future legal entity’s member countries, and the CTAO gGmbH Council, allows the project to proceed in the meantime.

“While we continue to work towards obtaining the ERIC status, the member countries and organisations within the BGR are prepared to advance the project to its next phase,” explains Aldo Covello, Chair of the BGR. Markus Schleier, Chair of the CTAO gGmbH Council, stated: “The pledge of the BGR and the agreement we have reached in the Council will not only ensure the stability of the project but will undoubtedly help the CTAO attract new talent and investment as it continues to grow.”

The current legal entity of the CTAO, the CTAO gGmbH, and its partners have carried out extensive design and pre-construction activities, including the advancement of telescopes, such as the LST-1, the prototype of the Large-Sized Telescope under commissioning on the CTAO-North site in La Palma, Spain. In 2024, the Observatory plans to open at least 30 new positions and start major infrastructure development including building roads, power systems, and foundations for its southern array site in the Atacama Desert (Chile). Together with the very important developments in the northern array site, this represents a major milestone for the project.

These steps will bring the Observatory closer to realizing its planned 64 telescopes, which will deliver an unprecedented sensitivity in the quest to unveil new discoveries in the high-energy gamma-ray Universe.

The European Physical Society is a partner of this international year:

• EPS announce
• Press release of the United Nations
• IYBSSD2022 website
• social media: @IYBSSD2022 and #IYBSSD2022
• Joint APS-ICTP-EPS Travel Award Fellowship Programme 
  

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2021“for groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of complex physical systems” with one half jointly to

• Syukuro Manabe
  Princeton University, USA
  

• Klaus Hasselmann
  Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
  

“for the physical modelling of Earth’s climate, quantifying variability and reliably predicting global warming”

and the other half to

• Giorgio Parisi
  Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

“for the discovery of the interplay of disorder and fluctuations in physical systems from atomic to planetary scales”

Physics for climate and other complex phenomena

Three Laureates share this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for their studies of chaotic and apparently random phenomena. Syukuro Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann laid the foundation of our knowledge of the Earth’s climate and how humanity influences it. Giorgio Parisi is rewarded for his revolutionary contributions to the theory of disordered materials and random processes.

Complex systems are characterised by randomness and disorder and are difficult to understand. This year’s Prize recognises new methods for describing them and predicting their long-term behaviour.

One complex system of vital importance to humankind is Earth’s climate. Syukuro Manabe demonstrated how increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere lead to increased temperatures at the surface of the Earth. In the 1960s, he led the development of physical models of the Earth’s climate and was the first person to explore the interaction between radiation balance and the vertical transport of air masses. His work laid the foundation for the development of current climate models.

About ten years later, Klaus Hasselmann created a model that links together weather and climate, thus answering the question of why climate models can be reliable despite weather being changeable and chaotic. He also developed methods for identifying specific signals, fingerprints, that both natural phenomena and human activities imprint in he climate. His methods have been used to prove that the increased temperature in the atmosphere is due to human emissions of carbon dioxide.

Around 1980, Giorgio Parisi discovered hidden patterns in disordered complex materials. His discoveries are among the most important contributions to the theory of complex systems. They make it possible to understand and describe many different and apparently entirely random materials and phenomena, not only in physics but also in other, very different areas, such as mathematics, biology, neuroscience and machine learning.

“The discoveries being recognised this year demonstrate that our knowledge about the climate rests on a solid scientific foundation, based on a rigorous analysis of observations. This year’s Laureates have all contributed to us gaining deeper insight into the properties and evolution of complex physical systems,” says Thors Hans Hansson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

Don't forget to apply for the Nature Research Award for Driving Global Impact, championing early career researchers who address global challenges. Applications close on the 21 March. There is a $30,000 prize to be won!

Deatails at https://www.nature.com/collections/ccjnyjxvmp

• Roger Penrose, University of Oxford, UK

“for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity”

and the other half jointly to

• Reinhard Genzel, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching, Germany and University of California, Berkeley, USA

and

• Andrea Ghez, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

“for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy”

Read the complete press release here.

Dear supporters of the International Day of Light,

Although the planned celebrations for the International Day of Light in 2020 (IDL2020) were impacted significantly by the pandemic, many individuals and organizations were able to reorganize to move activities and events online. We are delighted to share some highlights with you, including the IDL2020 report.

IDL2020 Highlights

With hundreds of events moving to virtual formats through Streaming events and Social Media, in many cases this actually facilitated easier international participation. There was worldwide response to activities such as photography contests, BINGO games, lectures and talks, educational meetings, and more.  

In addition to the variety of innovative and engaging events that took place online, a highlight of the 2020 celebrations around 16 May included the #SeeTheLight campaign, which featured a special video and four insightful articles by distinguished specialists. These pieces describe the role of light and how light drives cleaner energy, sustainable farming, high-speed connectivity and better diagnostics and treatments. The IDL Secretariat also called on its community to submit original videos that celebrate the role of light. Over fifty creative videos were received from more than 30 countries worldwide, and many of these were shared on the IDL social media accounts throughout the month of May.

Final Report

The detailed results of the IDL2020 celebrations can be read in this report. Some highlights include over 300 registered events in 69 countries, an estimated 750,000 event participants, and 400,000 social media impressions. On Twitter, #IDL2020 trended globally on 16 May. In fact, #IDL2020 was used 30% more in May 2020 than #IDL2019 was in all of 2019. The IDL Secretariat is delighted by this result considering the extenuating circumstances faced by event organizers this year.

Looking Ahead: IDL2021

In a few months, planning will begin for the Day of Light celebrations in 2021. Please contact us if you have ideas or interest for collaborations, sponsorships, or other participation opportunities.

The International Day of Light Secretariat

 JUNO detector (left), IceCube detector (right), Image/©: JUNO Collaboration/IceCube Collaboration

Research by Mainz physicists indicates that the next generation of neutrino experiments may well find the answer to one of the most pressing issues in neutrino physics

Among the most exciting challenges in modern physics is the identification of the neutrino mass ordering. Physicists from the Cluster of Excellence PRISMA⁺ at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) play a leading role in a new study that indicates that the puzzle of neutrino mass ordering may finally be solved in the next few years. This will be thanks to the combined performance of two new neutrino experiments that are in the pipeline - the Upgrade of the IceCube experiment at the South Pole and the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) in China. They will soon give the physicists access to much more sensitive and complementary data on the neutrino mass ordering.

Neutrinos are the chameleons among elementary particles

Neutrinos are produced by natural sources – in the interior of the sun or other astronomical objects, for example - but also in vast quantities by nuclear power plants. However, they can pass through normal matter - such as the human body - practically unhindered without leaving a trace of their presence. This means that extremely complex methods requiring the use of massive detectors are needed to observe the occasional rare reactions in which these ‘ghost particles’ are involved.

Neutrinos come in three different types: electron, muon and tau neutrinos. They can change from one type to another, a phenomenon that scientists call ‘neutrino oscillation’. It is possible to determine the mass of the particles from observations of the oscillation patterns. For years now, physicists have been trying to establish which of the three neutrinos is the lightest and which is the heaviest. Prof. Michael Wurm, a physicist at the PRISMA⁺ Cluster of Excellence and the Institute of Physics at JGU, who is playing an instrumental role in setting up the JUNO experiment in China, explains: “We believe that answering this question will contribute significantly towards enabling us to gather long-term data on the violation of matter-antimatter symmetry in the neutrino sector. Then, using this data, we hope to find out once and for all why matter and anti-matter did not completely annihilate each other after the Big Bang.”

Global cooperation pays off

Both large-scale experiments use very different and complementary methods in order to solve the puzzle of the neutrino mass ordering. “An obvious approach is to combine the expected results of both experiments,” points out Prof. Sebastian Böser, also from the PRISMA⁺ Cluster of Excellence and the Institute of Physics at JGU, who researches neutrinos and is a major contributor to the IceCube experiment.

No sooner said than done. In the current issue of the journal Physical Review D, researchers from the IceCube and the JUNO collaboration have published a combined analysis of their experiments. For this, the authors simulated the predicted experimental data as a function of the measuring time for each experiment. The results vary depending on whether the neutrino masses are in their normal or reversed (inverted) order. Next, the physicists carried out a statistical test, in which they applied a combined analysis to the simulated results of both experiments. This revealed the degree of sensitivity with which both experiments combined could predict the correct order, or rather rule out the wrong order. As the observed oscillation patterns in JUNO and IceCube depend on the actual neutrino mass ordering in a way specific to each experiment, the combined test has a discriminating power significantly higher than the individual experimental results. The combination will thus permit to definitively rule out the incorrect neutrino mass ordering within a measuring period of three to seven years.

 “In this case, the whole really is more than the sum of its parts,” concludes Sebastian Böser. “Here we have clear evidence of the effectiveness of a complementary experimental approach when it comes to solving the remaining neutrino puzzles.” “No experiment could achieve this by itself, whether it’s the IceCube Upgrade, JUNO or any of the others currently running,” adds Michael Wurm. “Moreover it just shows what neutrino physicists here in Mainz can achieve by working together.”

About IceCube and its Upgrade

IceCube is the largest particle detector in the world. It was completed in December 2010 and has been collecting data on neutrinos arriving from space ever since. It extends over one cubic kilometer of ice and is located directly adjacent to the Amundsen-Scott Station at the geographical South Pole. IceCube is composed of 86 cables, each with 60 glass spheres attached, which extend to depths of 1.45 to 2.45 kilometers. These spheres contain highly sensitive light sensors that are able to detect the bluish Cherenkov light generated by neutrino reactions. The existing 5,160 sensors will be supplemented during the Upgrade with a further 700 new sensors that will be attached in close proximity to one another on seven cable runs. They will be installed approximately 1.6 kilometers below the center of the current detector and particularly increase the number of events detected at lower energies.

About JUNO

The JUNO detector (Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory) is currently being constructed in a purpose-built underground lab, which is located some 50 kilometers from two reactor complexes on the southern coast of China. The neutrinos emitted by the reactors will be registered in the form of small light flashes in the liquid scintillator target located at the center of the detector. 20,000 tons of the transparent oil-like liquid are contained in an acrylic sphere with a diameter of 35 meters, the surface of which is covered by a dense array of light sensors. Deep underground, JUNO is carefully shielded from natural radioactivity and cosmic rays.

Publication:

M. G. Aartsen et al. (IceCube-Gen2 Collaboration, JUNO Collaboration Members), Combined sensitivity to the neutrino mass ordering with JUNO, the IceCube Upgrade, and PINGU, Physical Review D 101: 032006, 21 February 2020

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.101.032006 https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevD.101.032006

with one half to

• James Peebles, Princeton University, USA “for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology”

and the other half jointly to

• Michel Mayor, University of Geneva, Switzerland and
• Didier Queloz, University of Geneva, Switzerland and University of Cambridge, UK “for the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star”

New perspectives on our place in the universe

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics rewards new understanding of the universe’s structure and history, and the first discovery of a planet orbiting a solar-type star outside our solar system.

James Peebles’ insights into physical cosmology have enriched the entire field of research and laid a foundation for the transformation of cosmology over the last fifty years, from speculation to science. His theoretical framework, developed since the mid-1960s, is the basis of our contemporary ideas about the universe.

The Big Bang model describes the universe from its very first moments, almost 14 billion years ago, when it was extremely hot and dense. Since then, the universe has been expanding, becoming larger and colder. Barely 400,000 years after the Big Bang, the universe became transparent and light rays were able to travel through space. Even today, this ancient radiation is all around us and, coded into it, many of the universe’s secrets are hiding. Using his theoretical tools and calculations, James Peebles was able to interpret these traces from the infancy of the universe and discover new physical processes.

The results showed us a universe in which just five per cent of its content is known, the matter which constitutes stars, planets, trees – and us. The rest, 95 per cent, is unknown dark matter and dark energy. This is a mystery and a challenge to modern physics.

In October 1995,  Michel Mayor and  Didier Queloz announced the first discovery of a planet outside our solar system, an exoplanet, orbiting a solar-type star in our home galaxy, the Milky Way. At the Haute-Provence Observatory in southern France, using custom-made instruments, they were able to see planet 51 Pegasi b, a gaseous ball comparable with the solar system’s biggest gas giant, Jupiter.

This discovery started a revolution in astronomy and over 4,000 exoplanets have since been found in the Milky Way. Strange new worlds are still being discovered, with an incredible wealth of sizes, forms and orbits. They challenge our preconceived ideas about planetary systems and are forcing scientists to revise their theories of the physical processes behind the origins of planets. With numerous projects planned to start searching for exoplanets, we may eventually find an answer to the eternal question of whether other life is out there.

This year’s Laureates have transformed our ideas about the cosmos. While James Peebles’ theoretical discoveries contributed to our understanding of how the universe evolved after the Big Bang, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz explored our cosmic neighbourhoods on the hunt for unknown planets. Their discoveries have forever changed our conceptions of the world. 

James Peebles, born 1935 in Winnipeg, Canada. Ph.D. 1962 from Princeton University, USA. Albert Einstein Professor of Science at Princeton University, USA.

Michel Mayor, born 1942 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Ph.D. 1971 from University of Geneva, Switzerland. Professor at University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Didier Queloz, born 1966. Ph.D. 1995 from University of Geneva, Switzerland. Professor at University of Geneva, Switzerland and University of Cambridge, UK.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, founded in 1739, is an independent organisation whose overall objective is to promote the sciences and strengthen their influence in society. The Academy takes special responsibility for the natural sciences and mathematics, but endeavours to promote the exchange of ideas between various disciplines.

Nobel Prize® is a registered trademark of the Nobel Foundation.

WASHINGTON – The Optical Society (OSA) is pleased to announce that its members have elected Dr. Satoshi Kawata, professor emeritus of Osaka University and honorary scientist at RIKEN, both in Japan, as the society’s 2020 Vice President.

Two directors-at-large were also chosen during this year’s election: Dr. Polina Bayvel, University of London, U.K., and Dr. Gerd Leuchs, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Germany. The announcement was made today during OSA’s Annual Business Meeting at the 2019 Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science (FiO + LS) conference held 15-19 September in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

By accepting the vice presidency, Kawata makes a four-year commitment to OSA’s Board of Directors. He will serve one year as vice president in 2020, followed by one year as president-elect in 2021, president in 2022 and past president in 2023.

Along with Kawata, the new directors-at-large, Bayvel and Leuchs, will begin their terms on 1 January 2020. They will hold their positions for three years.

“As a pioneer of near-field optics and the inventor of tip-enhanced near-field microscopy, Satoshi brings a wealth of knowledge in optical sciences,” said OSA Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Rogan. “Satoshi’s experience in both leading and participating in organization governance will be a pivotal asset to his role as the OSA Board Chair.”

Dr. Satoshi Kawata joined the Department of Applied Physics of Osaka University in 1981 where he currently serves as a professor emeritus. Kawata founded the Photonics Advanced Research Center (PARC) at Osaka University in 2007, where he was executive director until 2016. Kawata also led a research group on nanophotonics as a chief scientist in RIKEN from 2002 to 2015 and now serves as an honorary scientist. He founded two companies, one of which is a laser-scanning Raman microscope company, Nanophoton, established in 2002, where he has been the chairman.

Kawata has been an OSA member since 1980 and was elected an OSA Fellow in 2003. He served as the chair of the International Council (2009-2010) and on the OSA Board of Directors (2009-2010). He has served on a number of OSA committees and councils, and organized topical meetings for OSA. He has been the advisor for the OSA Student Chapter of Osaka University, the first OSA student chapter in Japan.

Kawata was the president of the Japan Society of Applied Physics (2014-2015), president of the Spectroscopical Society of Japan (2007-2008), general chair of Nanoscience and Engineering of SPIE (2012-13), editor of Optics Communications (2000-2009), and the regional representative of the Journal of Microscopy (1988-2014). He chaired and organized a number of international conferences, including Near Field Optics (1998), Focus on Microscopy (2000, 2008) and UV Nanophotonics (2013).

Dr. Polina Bayvel is professor of Optical Communications and Networks in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London (UCL), a position she has held since 2002. Bayvel is the head of the Optical Networks Group (ONG), which she founded in 1994. The ONG is now an internationally leading group in optical communication systems and networks research, recognized for its seminal work on optical network architectures and the study of capacity limits in nonlinear optical networks. She has developed many active international collaborations with leading academic centers and industry – more than 60 collaborations in more than 25 countries around the world. Bayvel was elected an OSA Fellow in 2008.

Dr. Gerd Leuchs is director emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen, Germany and an adjunct professor within the physics department of the University of Ottawa, Canada.  After 15 years in academic research at the University of Cologne, University of Munich and at JILA, Boulder, Colorado, he worked at a Swiss optics company for five years before becoming full professor at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. His scientific work includes quantum beats, photo-electron angular distributions in multi-photon ionization, quantum noise reduced and entangled light beams and solitons in optical fibers, quantum communication protocols, focusing light beams and nanophotonics. Leuchs was elected an OSA Fellow in 2004 and received the Herbert Walther Award in 2018.

About The Optical Society

Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org.

About FiO + LS

Frontiers in Optics is The Optical Society’s (OSA) Annual Meeting and held together with Laser Science, a meeting sponsored by the American Physical Society’s Division of Laser Science (DLS). The two meetings unite the OSA and APS communities for five days of quality, cutting-edge presentations, in-demand invited speakers and a variety of special events spanning a broad range of topics in optics and photonics—the science of light—across the disciplines of physics, biology and chemistry. The exhibit floor features leading optics companies, technology products and programs. Download the OSA Events App for FiO + LS: https://www.frontiersinoptics.com/home/about-fio-ls/mobile-app/.

The South Pole IceCube neutrino telescope will get an upgrade: The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has agreed to grant 23 million US dollars for extending the capabilities of the observatory. The work on enhancing the detector in the Antarctic ice will cost a total of 40 million US dollars, with German research institutions contributing substantial funding. The resources will be used to install even more light sensors to capture the traces left by neutrinos arriving from space. Scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) participating in research at IceCube expect it to provide further information about the properties of neutrinos.
 
IceCube is the largest particle detector in the world. It was completed in December 2010 and has been collecting data on neutrinos ever since. Neutrinos are particles that have practically no mass, enabling them to pass through matter almost unnoticed. That makes them extremely difficult to detect. These so-called ghost particles originate from distant regions of the universe and can arrive on Earth more or less unhindered, thus providing us with information about distant galaxies. On 22 September 2017, IceCube made a particularly important discovery: The detectors registered a high-energy neutrino that in all likelihood originated from a galaxy 5.7 billion light years away in the constellation of Orion.
 
IceCube extends over one cubic kilometer of ice and is located directly adjacent to the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. The station is financed by the USA, but it is available to researchers from around the world. IceCube is composed of 60 spheres of glass attached to 86 cables, which extend to depths of 1.45 to 2.45 kilometers. These spheres contain highly sensitive light sensors that are able to recognize the bluish Cherenkov light generated by neutrino reactions. The existing 5,160 sensors will be supplemented during the upgrade with a further 700 new sensors attached in close proximity to one another on seven cables. They will be installed approximately 1.6 kilometers below the center of the current detector. Work on this upgrade started in fall 2018, with the support of the NSF and other partners, including Germany. Deep ice at the South Pole is crystal clear, making it ideal for the project.
 
Neutrino oscillation still puzzles scientists
 
Neutrinos are not only challenging to detect, they also pose many puzzles – some of which, at least, may be solved with the upgrade. The main goal of this first IceCube enhancement is to get to the bottom of a phenomenon known as neutrino oscillation, according to which neutrinos oscillate between three 'flavors': electron, muon, and tau neutrinos.
 
A second goal is to provide a more accurate analysis of the ice surrounding the light sensors, which will improve measurements from the existing detector. This will benefit high-energy neutrino astronomy in particular.
 
JGU researchers are involved in both the IceCube upgrade and the future IceCube-Gen2
 
The new additional light sensors will significantly increase sensitivity, especially at low energies in the range of five to ten gigaelectronvolts. In this energy range, IceCube scientists will be able to detect neutrino oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos. Neutrino oscillations are a quantum effect that earned its discoverers the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics. "Analyzing this type of neutrino oscillation provides us with insights into the properties of neutrinos, and this is the main focus of scientists from Mainz working at IceCube," said Professor Sebastian Böser of the Institute of Physics at Mainz University. "We will get more neutrinos at low energies, and we expect to learn a lot from them."
 
The Mainz Neutrino group was able to establish before the upgrade that this improvement will help in determining the order of the masses of the neutrino flavors. "We anticipate that after the upgrade, through our research at IceCube in conjunction with the JUNO experiment currently under construction, we will be able to categorically clarify the issue of mass hierarchy," stated Böser. Researchers from Mainz are also playing a significant role in the JUNO experiment in China. But the scientists are also expecting to answer other research questions, such as the hypothesis that neutrinos may not only oscillate between flavors but may also disappear completely instead of undergoing transformation. Once it is possible to detect tau neutrinos at previously unprecedented rates, significant progress is expected in this field.
 
"This upgrade will also help us develop the technology for IceCube's next upgrade, the IceCube-Gen2 detector," added Professor Lutz Köpke, another neutrino researcher at the JGU Institute of Physics. To achieve this, Mainz researchers have contributed 14 novel light sensors or Wavelength-shifting Optical Modules (WOMs), which will be installed in the ice. These WOMs use advanced materials to achieve lower detector noise thanks to their increased sensitivity. "Noise is the key factor in our ability to detect supernovas – another focus of our research here in Mainz," said Böser. The experience gained with the upgrade should help scientists in developing IceCube-Gen2, which will multiply the volume of IceCube by a factor of ten.
 
The Neutrino group at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Related links:

• https://icecube.wisc.edu/ – IceCube
• https://icecube.wisc.edu/news/view/661 - NSF mid-scale award sets off the first extension of IceCube
• https://icecube.wisc.edu/science/beyond – Ice Cube Gen2
• https://icecube.wisc.edu/gallery – IceCube Media Gallery
• https://www.etap.physik.uni-mainz.de/etap-experimentelle-teilchen-und-astroteilchen-physik-2/neutrino-physics/ – Neutrino Physics at JGU

Read more:

• http://www.magazin.uni-mainz.de/10172_ENG_HTML.php – JGU MAGAZINE: "A long winter in Antarctica" (18 April 2019)
• http://www.uni-mainz.de/presse/aktuell/5685_ENG_HTML.php – press release "IceCube researchers manage for the first time to identify the source of a neutrino from the depths of the cosmos" (19 July 2018)
• http://www.uni-mainz.de/presse/aktuell/5416_ENG_HTML.php – press release "Mysterious IceCube event may be caused by a tau neutrino" (19 June 2018)
• http://www.magazin.uni-mainz.de/1898_ENG_HTML.php – JGU MAGAZINE: "Hunting neutrinos in the Antarctic" (14 Feb. 2014)
• http://www.uni-mainz.de/presse/16860_ENG_HTML.php – press release "IceCube provides proof of neutrinos from the cosmos" (22 Nov. 2013)

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