Scientists from neutrino Observatory Ice Cube made a sensational discovery. They managed to prove that neutrino different types of high energies, too, are transformed into each other. Before such was considered impossible is believed that when the energy of these particles comes to a few hundred GeV, search for oscillations lose practical sense.

As we remember, neutrinos are of three types - electron, muon and Connie. But the most interesting thing is not this, but the fact that each type of neutrinos can turn into another, for example, e - muon and so on, This process is called neutrino oscillations. And, like many other concepts in quantum physics, long time these oscillations existed only on paper, that is, in theory.

And, actually, why physicists in General was to come up with some oscillations? The thing is that in the second half of the last century scientists are faced with the paradox that as a problem of solar neutrinos. Briefly it can be summarized as follows: everyone knows that in the process of solar nuclear reactions are formed electron neutrinos. After that, their threads fly through the Solar system, including in the direction of our planet.

Now, the measurement of neutrino flux on Earth who continually produced since the late 1950's, showed that the number of registered solar electron neutrinos, coming to the Earth, about two-three times less than was predicted by the standard solar model describing the processes occurring in the depths of light. Where do they go missing neutrinos after their flow will leave his ative" a star?

The fact of the matter is that to go to these particles in General nowhere. They practically do not interact with any baryonic matter (i.e. matter, consisting of protons and neutrons). Yes and turn into other particles themselves they, too, can not. In short, this mystery was tormented by scientists for half a century. Some even thought that maybe the standard solar model must be adjusted. But things are much easier and more interesting.

Back in 1957 Russian physicist Italian origin Bruno Pontecorvo suggested that neutrinos different types can turn into each other. However, for quite a long time scientists could not confirm his hypothesis experimentally. However, in the beginning of this century they still managed to do it, though not immediately.

In 2001 in neutrino Observatory in Sudbury in coming from the Sun to the Earth stream were directly registered neutrinos of all three types. Moreover, scientists have proven that they are in the flow as much as it should be, based on a calculation. It was also found that only about a third coming to the Earth neutrino is electronic. This number is consistent with the theory, which predicts the transition electron neutrinos in neutrino another generation in vacuum and in the solar matter.

Later, in 2010 the detector OPERA experiment that in Switzerland, found oscillation of muon neutrinos in Tonnie (emitting Tau-lepton). And finally, last year the Japanese detector Super-Kamiokande caught the transformation of electron neutrino muon. So now oscillations of the theoretical model became full phenomenon of nature whose existence was proven by independent research teams.

However, we cannot say that the study of this remarkable phenomenon is over. Recently held in Kyoto (Japan) International conference on neutrino physics project participants Ice Cube announced that they managed to fix the oscillations of high-energy neutrinos. And it was a sensation is still all physicists were convinced that such things are impossible. Previous experiments have shown that the chances of successful supervision fall with increasing energy: when she comes to a few hundred GeV, search for oscillations lose practical sense.

However, employees neutrino Observatory Ice Cube that is located in Antarctic station Amundsen-Scott (USA), it seems that did not bother. They know that nothing is impossible not happen for a long time the idea of the Antarctic powerful Observatory was seen by the scientific community as unreal! However, in 2005, Ice Cube (translated as Ice cube") started its work. Let me remind you that Ice Cube is located deep under the Antarctic ice. And there, at the depth from 1450 to 2450 meters, are durable "string" attached optical detectors, otherwise called photomultipliers. Just those currently sixty.

The principle of operation of the detectors of the station the following: it is known that neutrinos though freely cross the layer of ice, but in rare cases, however, interact with the nuclei of the atoms of oxygen to form muons. If the latter are moving faster than the phase velocity of propagation of light, their movement is accompanied Cherenkov radiation (the so-called glow, called in a transparent environment a charged particle moving with a speed greater than the phase velocity of light in this environment), which then discover the photomultipliers.

It should be noted that the equipment of the Observatory basically configured for registration of neutrinos, flying towards the Earth from the Sun's ultra-high energies exceeding 1 000 GeV (interestingly, though Ice cube" is in the southern hemisphere of our planet, it registers only those neutrinos that come with the Northern celestial hemisphere, that is, those that have passed the Earth through). However, in the Central part of the detecting of the array are "string" optical modules, intended for work in the range from several tens to a few hundred GeV. They recorded a "transitions" atmospheric muon neutrino 10-100 GeV in Tonnie.

So we have, and neutrinos with high energies, too, can oscillate. However, scientists from Ice cube" was not enough of one of the sensational discoveries. Now they are planning on adding to the Observatory relevant new "string" optical modules, to detect neutrino oscillations for energies less than 10 GeV. And these new data, as I hope physics, allowing it to better investigate the effects of the interaction of neutrinos with a substance that should change the nature of the oscillations.