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Credit & Copyright: Robert Morse
(U. Wisconsin)
The Amanda II Collaboration
Explanation:
Scientists are melting holes in the bottom of the world.
In fact, several holes have been melted near the
South Pole, and they are now being
used as astronomical observatories.
Astronomers with the Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA)
lower into each vertical lake a string knotted with
basketball-sized light detectors.
The water in each hole soon refreezes.
The detectors are sensitive to blue light emitted
in the surrounding clear ice. Such light is expected
from ice collisions with high-energy
neutrinos emitted by
objects or explosions out in the universe.
The
above picture was taken looking down into the deep
abyss.
Instruments were lowered down past 2000 meters.
Analyses of data from the
AMANDA II detectors have recently been used to create the first map of the high-energy
neutrino sky.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: neutrino
Publications with words: neutrino
See also: