Juan Carlos Díaz Vélez, a researcher at the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, shared his reaction to the announcement that his supervisor, Professor Francis Halzen, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. Díaz Vélez recalled waking up early to check the news and discovering the announcement, after which he communicated with colleagues in Europe who were already aware of the news.
Upon arriving at the office, Díaz Vélez noted a celebratory atmosphere among his colleagues, who gathered to watch the press conference with Halzen, who was attending a conference in Italy. Díaz Vélez emphasized that despite the recognition, their work on neutrino research continues.
Neutrinos are subatomic particles produced by various processes, including radioactivity. Díaz Vélez explained that these particles are challenging to detect due to their lack of electric charge, allowing them to pass through matter without interaction. He noted that neutrinos from the sun are abundant, with billions passing through a thumb's nail every second.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, located at the South Pole, is designed to detect high-energy neutrinos originating from cosmic events such as supernovae and black holes. The observatory features 5,160 optical sensors embedded in ice, which can detect light produced by muons resulting from neutrino interactions with ice atoms. Díaz Vélez has been involved in the project since its construction in 2010, and the observatory began operations in 2011.
One of IceCube's significant achievements was detecting neutrinos from astrophysical sources outside the solar system, including the high-energy blazar TXS 0506+056. The project has also contributed to understanding neutrinos' behavior, including their ability to change types during travel.
Díaz Vélez focuses on cosmic rays, which are primarily protons and heavier atomic nuclei. He noted that cosmic rays do not arrive uniformly from all directions, providing insights into their sources within the galaxy. He described the challenge of detecting neutrinos, stating that for every neutrino detected, over a million muons are observed.
As the product coordinator for the IceCube collaboration, Díaz Vélez oversees data processing and simulation production, requiring extensive computing resources. He highlighted the international nature of the project, involving 450 collaborators from 58 institutions across 14 countries. Díaz Vélez praised Halzen as a leader and colleague, attributing the project's success to his dedication and passion.
This article was originally published in WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.