A Milestone for Science: Cryostat Installation Begins

A mile underground, we're building the world's most advanced neutrino experiment, aptly named the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. DUNE consists of both a near detector located at Fermilab and a far detector at Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota. The five-story tall detectors will be built underground at Sanford Lab. Scientists will use DUNE to study elusive particles called neutrinos. Researchers think that neutrinos may hold the key to unlocking some of the biggest mysteries of the universe. DUNE will use a technology called a liquid argon time projection chamber to catch neutrinos. To keep the liquid argon cold, the detector will be housed inside an insulating container called a cryostat. CERN has contributed the steel and insulation to construct the cryostats. In total, there are more than 1,300 unique pieces of steel per cryostat. We've already started to lower the steel down the 1-mile long shaft to our caverns underground. These are unique pieces of steel, and some of them have some funky shapes which impact their center of gravity. So, it's all hands-on deck to create safe and efficient plans to get each piece of steel underground. And since the fit of each piece is so precise and prescribed, we've mapped out the process so that crews know exactly where to place every single piece. Like following instructions for a LEGO set, the entire DUNE project is a collaborative effort of more than 1,500 scientists from 35 countries around the world. And now we're starting to see the experiment come together thanks to that collaboration.