Research topics
T2K Experiment: Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiment between Tokai and Kamioka
The T2K experiment aims to unravel the mysteries of neutrinos by generating a high-intensity neutrino beam using the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), which was built in Tokai-mura, Ibaraki Prefecture, and measuring the beam characteristics at a pre-detector (ND280) on the J-PARC site, before launching the neutrino beam at a post detector at a distance of 295 km By comparing the results of observations from the pre-detector at J-PARC and Super-Kamiokande, it is possible to study neutrino oscillations, in which neutrinos change into a different type during their flight. In particular, the main objectives are to precisely measure the mixing angle θ13 of neutrino oscillations by detecting electron neutrino appearance phenomena, to precisely measure oscillation phenomena between muon and tau neutrinos, and to observe CP symmetry (symmetry between matter and antimatter) breaking in neutrinos.
The T2K experiment began sending neutrino beams to Kamioka in earnest in January 2010, and detected the first J-PARC neutrino at the far detector Super-Kamiokande on February 24, 2010, and a candidate electron-neutrino reaction event on May 15, 2010. 2011, In 2011, the number of events detected in Super-Kamiokande reached 88, of which 6 were electron-neutrino reaction events. This result is the first research result in the world to suggest the appearance of electron neutrinos, and the “Signs of Electron Neutrino Appearance” detected by T2K was selected as one of the “Top 10 Achievements in Physics in 2011” by the Physics World magazine of the Institute of Physics (IOP) in the UK.
(Reference (PhysicsWorld) Reference (KEK) Reference (Kamioka facility)) In 2012, the French science magazine La Recherche also awarded the prize.
(Reference (Le Prix La Recherche) Reference (T2K experiment website)) The T2K experiment is still ongoing.
The Kobe University group is mainly engaged in the operation of the muon detector, which is part of the front-end detector installed in Tokai-mura, and in analysis using it. The group is also responsible for the maintenance and operation of Super-Kamiokande, a post detector, and for detector calibration.
Member
Staff
- Yasuo Takeuchi
- Atsumu Suzuki
- Hiroshi Ito
Publication
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