In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘lceCube’, a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news:
- It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
- It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter.
- It is buried deep in the ice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
- The IceCube Neutrino Observatory or simply IceCube is the first detector of its kind, designed to observe the cosmos from deep within the South Pole ice. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
- Encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice, IceCube searches for nearly massless subatomic particles called neutrinos. Hence Statement 3 is correct.
- IceCube collaborators address several big questions in physics, like the nature of dark matter and the properties of the neutrino itself. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
