Sudbury SNOLAB makes scientific breakthrough in monitoring nuclear power
A surprise result during an experiment at SNOLAB in Sudbury revealed a scientific breakthrough in the astroparticle physics field.
The SNO+ (Sudbury Neutrino Observatory) experiment is not yet completed, but the unexpected finding of antineutrinos in pure water is exciting researchers at the possibility of being able to monitor nuclear power plants around the world.
New SNOLAB experiment has made a breakthrough in the astroparticle physics field (Supplied)
"While filled with ultrapure water as the detector’s components were being upgraded in 2018, 190 days of data yielded results that surprised the experiment team and is a first in the field of astroparticle physics," SNOLAB said in a news release Monday.
"In the data was an antineutrino signal that came from the Bruce, Darlington and Pickering nuclear-generating stations hundreds of kilometres away… This suggests it is possible to use neutrino detectors such as SNO+ to continuously monitor a reactor’s power production from a great distance."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Being able to build neutrino detectors with a non-toxic, inexpensive and easy-to-handle material such as ultrapure water will be important for their development.
"This finding is a great indicator that we can expect very exciting physics from the scintillator phase, running now for nearly 10 months, well into the future," said Christine Kraus, a SNOLAB research scientist.
The experiment vessel is five stories tall and now filled with a liquid much like mineral oil that lights up when charged particles pass through it.
Underground cavity where neutrino experiment is taking place in Sudbury. (SNOLAB)
Researchers are looking for rare nuclear decay to confirm the neutrino is its own antiparticle.
The findings will be published by the American Physical Society's Physics Magazine on Thursday.
A synopsis of Evidence of Antineutrinos from Distant Reactors using Pure Water at SNO+ can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.