Art McDonald

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Future Directions in Neutrino and Astro- Physics
with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) and
the new SNOLAB
Art McDonald Queens University, SNO
Director Ontario RE Summit, June 14, 2005
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With the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) and
the new SNOLAB we have great new scientific
opportunities in Neutrino Physics, Cosmology and
Astrophysics at the lowest radioactive background
underground site in the world
The New SNOLAB
SNO
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Why Go Underground?

• Other astronomers go to the tops of mountain
  peaks or up in satellites to observe the heavens
• We go deep underground to exclude high energy
  particles (Cosmic Rays) from outer space that
  would otherwise make our detector glow like the
  Northern Lights.
• By going deep underground and creating
  ultra-clean conditions, we can measure
• - NEUTRINOS from the SUN
• - DARK MATTER particles left over from the BIG
  BANG
• - VERY RARE RADIOACTIVE DECAY, unobserved to
  date that will help us to understand how the
  Universe evolved and why we are all made of
  matter, rather than anti-matter.
• We have created one of the lowest radioactivity
  locations on Earth!

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Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
INCOs Creighton Mine
AECL, OPG
1000 tonnes D2O
Support Structure for 9500 PMTs, 60 coverage
12 m Diameter Acrylic Vessel
1700 tonnes Inner Shielding H2O
5300 tonnes Outer Shield H2O
Urylon Liner and Radon Seal
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One million pieces transported down in the 3 m
square mine cage and re-assembled under
ultra-clean conditions.
Over 60,000 Showers to date and counting
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In the midst of all this technology we should not
forget the human element
There was one exception on showers, where we
carefully vacuumed and INCO built a special
stainless steel rail car for clean transportation.
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How to tell a neutrino from a hole in the ground

• Neutrinos, along with electrons and quarks are
  the basic building blocks of nature.
• They are produced in large numbers by the nuclear
  reactions that power the Sun and can pass through
  virtually anything, so we can use them to study
  the Sun in great detail.
• Using Canadian heavy water reserves and the best
  underground location in the world, SNO has
  measured previously unknown properties of
  neutrinos that change the laws of physics at the
  most basic level.
• SNO has also confirmed that the models of how the
  Sun burns are very accurate.

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The SNO results have been very well received by
the scientific community and have generated a
large amount of further theoretical and
experimental work
For much of 2003, the three SNO papers occupied
the top three places for citations of papers in
all of physics
SNO is Textbook science changing the basic laws
of physics See the latest Ontario and Alberta
Grade 12 physics textbooks.
This has also portrayed Canadian science very
well internationally
Science magazine, Discover magazine, American
Inst. of Physics SNO results rated in top 2
scientific discoveries of 2002.
News articles on SNO have appeared in major
newspapers all over the world Globe and Mail,
National Post, NY Times, Washington Post, The
Guardian, CBC, CTV, Discovery and there was a
full edition of ABC Nightline on SNO results.
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How to tell a neutrino from a hole in the ground

• Neutrinos, along with electrons and quarks are
  the basic building blocks of nature.
• They are produced in large numbers by the nuclear
  reactions that power the Sun and can pass through
  virtually anything, so we can use them to study
  the Sun in great detail.
• Using Canadian heavy water reserves and the best
  underground location in the world, SNO has
  measured previously unknown properties of
  neutrinos that change the laws of physics at the
  most basic level.
• SNO has also confirmed that the models of how the
  Sun burns are very accurate.
• Our underground laboratory has virtually no
  radioactive background We observe neutrinos
  only in SNO at about 1 per hour.
• We have received 49 million from CFI and Ontario
  to create SNOLAB. Construction 30 complete.
  Occupancy in 2007.
• We have 15 Letters of Interest from Canadian and
  international experiments at various stages of
  development (typically 10 to 50 million apiece)
  that would like to be sited in SNOLAB.
• Answers to Why are we made of matter? What is
  Dark Matter?....

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Lessons from SNO and Directions for the next ten
years for SNOLAB and other major science projects

• Extensive Canadian and International
  collaboration
• E.g. SNO About 130 collaborators.
• Networking of scientists
• CIAR (Cosmology, Earth Science, Quantum
  Computing, Evolutionary Biology, Complex Electron
  Systems, Nanoscience )
• CFI, Centres of Excellence
• Similar directions for most scientific fields.

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Lessons from SNO and Directions for the next ten
years for SNOLAB and other major science projects

• Extensive Canadian and International
  collaboration
• E.g. SNO About 130 collaborators.
• Networking of scientists
• CIAR (Cosmology, Earth Science, Quantum
  Computing, Evolutionary Biology, Complex Electron
  Systems )
• CFI, Centres of Excellence
• Similar directions for most scientific fields.
• Comunication essential
• High speed connection (ORION) extremely valuable
• E.g. Connection to SNO site by all collaborators
  instantly (e.g. Supernova).
• Future High speed wireless for instant
  connection.
• Computing (with connectivity) essential ( Grid
  computing)
• Detector simulation, data analysis
• Access to data for the community
• Data streams
• Archiving of papers (However, refereeing must be
  maintained)
• Education How do we keep our students (and
  professors) up to date?

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A Final Note

• The Canadian Framework for Major Science
  Investments is very important.
• Canada needs such coordination if it is to
  succeed at home and cooperate internationally
  with countries that coordinate Major Investments
  very well.

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For a broader perspectiveI just happen to be
reading

• A Short History of Progress, Ronald Wright,
  2004 Massey Lectures