The anode plane assemblies (APAs) are being produced at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Daresbury Laboratory as part of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).
DUNE is a major international science project under construction in the US.
It will send a beam of neutrinos 1,300 kilometres across the country in a mission to explain why the Universe is made of matter rather than antimatter.
The arrival of the first four APAs at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) represents a key milestone for the UK’s contribution to the experiment.
UK production milestone
The shipment comes as Daresbury Laboratory reaches a significant production target, as teams at the site have now completed 50 out of the 137 APAs that the UK is developing for DUNE.
Each APA is a large rectangular detector frame measuring approximately six by two metres, with 24 kilometres of hair-width copper-beryllium wire wound in multiple directions, tensioned and secured by thousands of hand-soldered connections.
These assemblies form the sensitive detection planes inside DUNE’s liquid-argon detectors, where they will record the electrical signals produced when neutrinos interact with the detector.
Big detectors, big logistics
Each comparable in height to a two-storey building, the APAs present significant challenges for storage and transport, and must be handled with extreme care to protect the delicate wire planes.
For the transatlantic journey, the four APAs were mounted inside two specially designed shipping frames to keep them rigid and secure, each equipped with sensors monitoring shock, vibration, tilt, temperature, humidity, and location.
Because of their size, the frames require a dedicated 60-foot platform when shipped by sea, requiring a full-length maritime unit.
APAs prepared for shipment to the US. Credit: STFC
First direct shipment to the US
Earlier APAs were transported to the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN) for testing and trial shipments, but this is the first time completed units have been sent directly from the UK to Fermilab.
Once at Fermilab, they will undergo testing before being prepared for installation in the DUNE Far Detector 1 at the Sandford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota.
A global experiment to answer fundamental questions
DUNE is one of the most ambitious particle-physics experiments ever constructed.
It will send a beam of neutrinos from Fermilab in Illinois to the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, 1,300 kilometres away.
By comparing the properties of the neutrinos at the source and at the far detector, scientists hope to answer some of the most fundamental questions in physics.
The experiment aims to:
- explore why matter dominates over antimatter in the Universe
- study the behaviour of neutrinos
- observe signals from supernovae
The detectors will contain tens of thousands of tonnes of liquid argon, with the APAs acting as the sensitive readout planes that capture the faint electrical signals produced by neutrino interactions.
A proud milestone
Ian Lazarus, Head of Technology at STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory, said:
The arrival of the four APAs at Fermilab marks a major milestone for the UK’s contribution to the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, and they will now undergo testing at Fermilab before installation in DUNE’s enormous underground detectors.
Beyond being a source of pride for the DUNE team at Daresbury, this achievement is a really exciting example of international collaboration in action.
It paves the way for the UK’s continued delivery of detector planes to the United States, underscoring the strength of UK engineering expertise and our vital role in one of the most ambitious physics experiments ever undertaken.
UK role in DUNE
The UK is responsible for building 137 out of the 150 APAs required for DUNE.
In addition to the detector planes, UK teams are also contributing to other major components of the DUNE and Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility infrastructure.
