Scientists use footprints of atmospheric neutrinos to measure the speed of cosmic rays

In their study, scientists propose using the imprints of atmospheric neutrinos in the so-called

"Paleodetectors". These are natural minerals of the Earth, the study of which allows scientists to obtain more data about the Universe.

Every moment the earth is bombardedcosmic rays. Most of them are composed of light nuclei and protons. And when these rays pass through the atmosphere, some of them collide with atoms, breaking them apart and leading to the formation of neutrinos. As a result, they "rain down" on the planet. Astrophysicists believe that studying the history of this bombing will provide more data on the sources of cosmic rays. In this new study, scientists speculate that rocks deep below the Earth's surface may contain such "records." Scientists plan to extract some of this rock and study them.

The team conducted experiments to find outwhether traces of collisions of neutrinos with cosmic rays can be found in various types of rocks. Using computer simulations, scientists have found that these tracks are between 50 and 100 micrometers in size. Accurate data on the range of trace sizes will allow you to examine the samples you need. However, researchers warn that mining them will take some effort. Traditional excavation methods can damage specimens.

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