Neutrino detectors deployed in South China Sea

Chinese scientists have deployed several prototype detectors to locate neutrinos in the South China Sea, the Institute of High Energy Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced on Wednesday.

The detectors were successfully placed at a designated site 1,600 meters below sea level, marking a key technical step in the development of the prototype array under the Sea Star Program, which is funded by the Ocean University of China. The project will provide technical evaluations for the High-energy Underwater Neutrino Telescope, a large-scale scientific instrument proposed by IHEP with an expected volume of about 30 cubic kilometers.

The prototype detectors are part of HUNT's preparatory phase, which aims to cover 600 square kilometers of ocean. The project is expected to detect neutrino point sources within two years and identify dozens of astrophysical neutrino sources within a decade, positioning China at the forefront of neutrino astronomy, said Chen Mingjun, a researcher at IHEP.