Deep neutrino experiment construction begins

Nearly a mile underground in South Dakota, crews are beginning construction on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, a facility designed to house 17,000 tons of liquid argon within each of its two detector modules, maintained at approximately minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Thousands of red steel beams, meticulously transported to the Sanford Underground Research Facility, will form the outer structures of these massive cryostats.

Fermilab has designated DUNE as its “top priority,” with director Norbert Holtkamp stating, “Once underway, DUNE has the potential to help us broaden our fundamental understanding of our universe, as well as potentially open the door to new technological advances.” The experiment aims to unravel mysteries surrounding the Big Bang and the prevalence of matter in the universe.

Cryostat Construction Underway at Sanford Underground Facility

The arrival of steel for both cryostats in Rapid City, South Dakota, from Houston, Texas, marks a recent milestone in the construction of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. More than 6,200 tons of steel, provided as an in-kind contribution, are being used to build the experiment’s two cryostat modules nearly a mile underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. SURF is responsible for shaft operations and logistics, carefully transporting each steel beam and associated equipment to the work site.

The organization is leading the design, construction planning, logistics and installation of these massive cryostats, collaborating with a Minnesota-based structural steel contractor to assemble the structures deep underground. Lluís Miralles, Neutrino Platform principal project engineer at the organization, explained that the group contributed not only technical expertise but also project management capabilities. “The work that has been done is a full contribution of expertise,” Miralles said.

This collaborative approach, he added, is how large international collaborations function, and the team is thrilled to take this major step forward toward the transformative science DUNE will deliver. A total of 2,600 red steel beams will form the outer structure of the neutrino experiment’s detector modules. Installation crews are currently assembling these beams in the South Cavern, while SURF crews have begun lowering steel components for the second cryostat into the North Cavern, with assembly expected to begin next year.

SURF is proud to support this research 4,850 feet (1,478 meters) below ground level, anticipating that the experiment will run into the late 2040s and potentially impact science for generations. A SURF representative stated, “In the process, it’s creating a home for some of the best and brightest scientific minds in the world and a range of high-paying jobs right here in the Black Hills.”

Fermilab is collaborating with the organization and SURF on the project, with the goal of sending a beam of neutrinos approximately 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) through the Earth from Batavia, Illinois, to the liquid-argon-filled detectors in South Dakota. The experiment, an international collaboration of over 1,500 researchers hosted by Fermilab, will use the Neutrino Platform facility, which developed and built the ProtoDUNE detector, the first prototype of the two detector technologies for the DUNE far detector modules.

The ongoing construction represents a significant undertaking in the field of particle physics, requiring meticulous coordination between multiple international organizations. The completed cryostats will ultimately house the liquid argon necessary for detecting neutrinos, enabling scientists to investigate fundamental questions about the universe and the nature of matter.

Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility to Send Beam 800 Miles

The facility’s design relies on two detectors, one at the source and one at the destination, to measure neutrino behavior before and after their journey, enabling detailed analysis of these elusive particles. Mark Thomson, director general of the organization, stated, “After years of planning and careful coordination, I am thrilled to see that we are ready to start installation.” Jolie Macier, project manager for the far detectors and cryogenics of DUNE, said, “This brings us one step closer to science.”

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