Scientists Use ICECUBE Detector to Study Quantum Gravity
A group of scientists from various countries have conducted a unique experiment in an effort to understand quantum gravity, a field of theoretical physics that seeks to describe gravity according to the principles of quantum mechanics. The challenge is in understanding how gravity interacts with the smallest particles of the Universe, such as in the vicinity of black holes or similar astrophysical objects like neutron stars.
To get closer to a solution, the scientists used the ICECUBE detector, an array of optical sensors frozen in the ice thick pole, designed to measure neutrinos. Neutrinos are elementary particles that almost do not interact with matter and can fly through the Earth.
The scientists measured the time of arrival of neutrinos from various sources in space, such as supernova stars or active galaxy nuclei. They suggested that if quantum gravity exists, then it can cause small fluctuations in the speed of neutrinos depending on their energy. If this is the case, then neutrinos with different energy can arrive on Earth with different delays.
After analyzing nine years of ICECUBE data, the scientists did not find any statistically significant deviations from the expected neutrino arrival time. However, their work allowed them to put new restrictions on the possible effects of quantum gravity, showing that if it exists, its influence should be very weak and manifest only at distances of about 10^-35 meters, also known as the plank length.
These results are an important step towards understanding quantum gravity and demonstrate the potential of ICECUBE as a tool for the study of fundamental physics. Scientists hope to improve their sensitivity in the future and test other hypotheses about quantum gravity using neutrinos. More information about the study can be found here.