Ghost particles from space telescope wins physics Nobel
Belgian physicist Prof Francis Halzen has won the Nobel Prize in Physics for pioneering the IceCube observatory at the South Pole to detect space particles.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Prof Francis Halzen wins physics Nobel for IceCube observatory work
- Facility uses one cubic kilometre of Antarctic ice with light sensors
- Designed to detect high-energy neutrinos from distant cosmic events
- Halzen first presented his South Pole neutrino vision back in 1988
Professor Francis Halzen, a distinguished Belgian physicist, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking leadership in developing an observatory designed to detect elusive cosmic particles from the distant universe.
Halzen originally pitched his vision for constructing a neutrino detector at the geographic South Pole back in 1988. While the ambitious concept was acknowledged as an interesting proposition at the समय, very few individuals—including Halzen himself—truly believed it would successfully function on such a scale.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Often referred to as ghost particles, neutrinos are subatomic elements that are notoriously difficult to track. Although the Sun generates vast quantities passing harmlessly through matter every second, the IceCube facility focuses on capturing much higher-energy neutrinos originating from violent, energetic processes far beyond our Solar System.
The observatory is built by drilling deep into a vast natural ice sheet in Antarctica, embedding thousands of sensitive light sensors across long cables. When a rare neutrino strikes an atomic nucleus, it generates fast particles that emit a distinct blue glow picked up by the array.
"His vision and scientific leadership have been fundamental for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory."
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Prof Mark Pearce, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, commended Halzen and his international team of researchers and engineers for delivering such a fantastic instrument that paves the way for an entirely new kind of astronomy.
Detecting neutrinos represents a monumental challenge in modern astrophysics because these particles pass through ordinary matter almost entirely unhindered. Utilizing a massive volume of clear Antarctic ice allows researchers to capture rare interactions that provide valuable clues about extreme cosmic phenomena which standard optical telescopes cannot observe.
Source: BBC Science & Environment
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