Mining for Neutrinos, and for Cosmic Answers

In South Dakota's Black Hills, scientists are transforming former gold mining caverns into the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), which will serve as a crucial site for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). This ambitious project aims to capture neutrinos, elusive particles that could provide insights into the universe's origins. The facility, located a mile underground, consists of two vast caverns that have been developed over three years of labor. DUNE will utilize a particle accelerator from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago, generating trillions of neutrinos directed towards SURF. These particles will travel through solid bedrock across three states, allowing physicists to study their properties and interactions. The goal is to understand the imbalance between matter and antimatter that emerged after the Big Bang, which is fundamental to the existence of everything in the universe today. The project represents the largest science-engineering initiative beneath American soil, reflecting a decade of planning and construction. As scientists prepare for the experiment, they hope to fill significant gaps in our understanding of particle physics and the universe's evolution. The successful operation of DUNE could reinstate the United States as a leader in the field of particle physics, fostering international collaboration and advancing scientific knowledge. Ultimately, the research conducted at SURF may provide answers to existential questions about our origins and the fundamental nature of matter, potentially reshaping our understanding of the cosmos.