Professor Roberto Petty of the University of South Carolina, Head of the straw tracker project for the international neutrino experiment DUNE, visited the Institute of Nuclear Physics.
During his visit, Petty toured the straw tube production line established at the INP, as well as the infrastructure preparations for the new 12-meter line and the detector assembly and testing facility.
At a meeting with INP Director General Sayabek Sakhiyev, Professor Petty highly evaluated the pace of straw technology development at the Institute, the level of its production facilities, and the qualifications of the specialists. The systematic work on staff training and team building for the implementation of international detector projects was particularly noted.
Roberto Petty presented the current status of the DUNE straw tracker project and expressed the appreciation to the INP for its significant contribution. In particular, he highlighted the participation of the INP staff in the assembly of the first full-scale prototype module, measuring 3.9 x 3.2 meters.
The creation of the first module is a key stage of the project: it involves the development of production and assembly technologies, quality control procedures, and testing methods, as well as practical training for specialists.
The work is being carried out by an international team, in which INP staff play a significant role.
Successful completion of this stage will pave the way for the transition to serial production of the detector system. The production and assembly of more than 50 similar modules is planned for the future.
DUNE is one of the largest international projects in modern particle physics, aimed at studying neutrinos—particles that can pass through matter virtually without interaction. The experiment will enable to answer fundamental questions about the origin of matter in the Universe, the differences between matter and antimatter, and the processes that occur during supernova explosions.
