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A Telescope In a Cubic Kilometer of Ice
Roland Piquepaille writes "University of Delaware (UD) scientists and engineers are currently working at the South Pole under very harsh conditions. This research team is one of the many other ones working on the construction of IceCube, the world's largest neutrino telescope in the Antarctic ice, far beneath the continent's snow-covered surface. When it is completed in 2011, the telescope array will occupy a cubic kilometer of Antarctica. One of the lead researchers said that 'IceCube will provide new information about some of the most violent and far-away astrophysical events in the cosmos.' The UD team has even opened a blog to cover this expedition. It will be opened up to December 22, 2008. I guess they want to be back in Delaware for Christmas, but read more for additional details and references, including a diagram of this telescope array built inside ice."
I gotta say, just based on personal experience here, that the outlook for this project doesn't look good. The last underground science facility I worked at over in Raccoon City just didn't work out in the long run.
Who doesn't love 'em!
Yeah, it's a telescope alright! Ha! Ha! I got $500 that says they found a second Stargate down there!
To be fair, the British members of the team probably don't want to be in Delaware for Christmas. Americans have a history of massacring the British on Christmas in Delaware.
This is exactly what I mean by a really cool thing!
Definitely Ice Cube http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Cube won't like it.
Perhaps time to call in the RIAA and fix this.
Neutrino's with Attitude!
"Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
Is getting the purchase order for a cubic kilometer of gin through the purchasing system.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
By the time it is finished, it will be in a cubic kilometer of water.
Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
I know I'm ignorant, but I just don't understand how physicists managed to get from the Manhattan project to here. Yes, the Manhattan project showed that if you put great minds together they can achieve great things.. but that was in war time.. and for weapons development. How did the lab coats manage to convince the bean counters that the same thing was possible in peace time.. and for pure science no less? And how come it's always physics physics physics? And mostly, telescopes? If someone goes to the NSF and asks for billions to build a really big computer to do AI research on, the NSF tells them to go talk to IBM. Where's the IBM of telescopes? Even when it comes to rockets the big contractors are not expected to wear the cost of development (cost-plus contracts being an abomination, but at least it gets shit done), but if you wanna do basic science in compsci on decent hardware, you have to go work for a corp research lab.
How we know is more important than what we know.
Don't take in stray sled dogs from nearby camps. Shoot them before they can get close to your camp, then burn the bodies. I'm just sayin'...
This is a neutrino detector. It is not a telescope. It works by detecting electrons or muons created when neutrinos hit the surrounding ice.
Why aren't the enviros screaming that the telescope is somehow going to destroy a fragile ecosystem and lead to extinction of one or more endangered species, a la ANWR?
Slashdot: Playing Favorites Since 1997
Scintillating!
I can see the fnords!
This is a huge project with a long list of collaborating organizations http://www.icecube.wisc.edu/collaboration/collaborators.php. I know there's a large number of Ice Cube folks here at U Wisconsin-Madison.
The scale of the project really is something. Neutrinos interact with other matter very infrequently -- something on the order of 60 billion neutrinos pass through you each second, and you probably never noticed. They need such a large volume so that they can see a reasonable number of interactions. It's crazy stuff.
Apparently there is a northern counterpart to this: ANTARES, though the article on Km3net says that that is a pilot project for Km3net.
Whilst we're on the topic, I have actually seen both the original from the 50s and the John Carpenter version, and do yourself a favour - if you ever get curious about the 50s version, don't. Seriously, just don't. A perfect example of, "What has been seen cannot be UNseen."
Instead, go on a John Carpenter binge and watch 'Prince of Darkness' and 'Big Trouble in Little China,' and save yourself a lot of grief while being vastly entertained.
A telescope collects light or other radiation passing through a large aperture and forms an image. This neither concentrates the neutrinos nor forms an image.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
I'm from Delaware and I don't want to go back for Christmas! Even Antartica is probably a step up...
So, how long will they have to use this thing before global warming causes it to start melting?
'IceCube will provide new information about some of the most violent and far-away astrophysical events in the cosmos.'
So NWA have a new album out? O.o
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Oh My God
Wait...
Oh my god...
*holds self*
I was there last year. For some pics of the detectors and the hot water drill used to lower the detector strings see http://spacebit.org/v/places/Antarctica/SouthPole
The drill seems straight out of Austin Powers or Bond for drilling into the core of the earth.
The visualization software (image above) was running on Linux FYI.
Space and Computers.
And how come it's always physics physics physics?
http://xkcd.com/435/
Most human behaviour can be explained in terms of identity.
your link mentions naked ladies, a sauna, and sub zero temperatures... How exactly does one get a job in one of these research facilities?
Xaotik Designs
you can do it put your back into it!
put your ass in to it... I spend 6 months being forced to listen to that tripe on the office radio... and I hate you for bringing it up. i'd +funny if i could :)
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
A word of advice: If you wake any squid-headed star-spawned monstrosity deep beneath the mountains of madness, run.
This research team is one of the many other ones
Whoah, we're talking seriously reality-twisting science here.
sudo ergo sum
I thought they said it was cold? It was -38F when I left for work this morning. Check out the weather for Winnipeg Canada @ http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/camb0244 Note: -40F =-40C and 1C ~ 1.5F.
Interview with Keith and David - IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole
If this thing has decent angular resolution, I bet the military is looking at this very closely. The super-Kamiokande (or was it the Sudbury) neutrino detector was able to 'see' operating reactors from their neutrino flux. How cool would it be to be able to detect and get a fix on rogue reactors and nuclear subs?
Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
All we need is a million-ton olive, and our martini will be complete!
David Gould
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