The Standard Model of particle physics says that protons are stable and live forever, but it still has some shortcomings, especially in reconciling quantum mechanics with Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, which describes gravity.
The proton decay hypothesis was first described by Andrei Sakharov in 1967, but despite experimental efforts, all means of finding evidence on Earth have failed. That’s why Patrick Stengel of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Ferrara, Italy, and his colleagues propose digging a hole five kilometers deep into the moon to look for signs of old protons decaying into kaons.
Patrick Stengel of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Ferrara, Italy, proposes digging deep into the moon to look for signs of old protons decaying into kaons
Image credits: International Space Station
Image credits: ESA
Image credits: NASA
Image credits: NASA
Stengel believes that the moon rock could contain evidence of such a decay in chemical changes in the mineral structure. Hiding deep within the moon’s surface would create a protective shield and would also mean that such evidence would not be mixed with similar reactions caused by things like high-energy neutrinos.
After their calculations, the scientific team found that the shielding would only be sufficient at least 5 kilometers below the moon’s surface. In this case, a powerful drill would have to be transported to the moon to obtain the sample. What is important to note is that drills can go much deeper than those on Earth; For example, the Kola Superdeep borehole in Russia is more than twelve kilometers deep.
Image credits: @daryavaseum
Image credits: @daryavaseum
“Fundamentally the idea is attractive,” says David Waters, professor of physics at University College London. “Instead of having detectors that weigh thousands of tons and running them for a few years, you’re looking at small mineral samples, perhaps only tens or hundreds of grams, and those could have recorded in their structure particle interactions over hundreds of millions of years. .”
Still, the rock sample on the moon would have to be analyzed with advanced microscopy equipment, because transporting the sample to Earth could affect it with cosmic rays. “The idea is very speculative. You have to go to a depth of five kilometers, extract moon rocks and use these advanced microscopy techniques – that’s all very difficult,” Stengel shared his thoughts.
Despite all the technical difficulties, access to just 100 grams of moon rock could be enough to find evidence of proton decay with as much or even more sensitivity than projects on Earth, such as the Super-Kamiokande neutrino detection experiment in Japan. This research experiment, together with approximately 40 universities and research institutes around the world, aims to unravel the mystery of the universe and matter through neutrino observation.
Lunar rock samples from the moon’s depths could offer a chance to see if protons can decay into something else
Image credits: International Space Station
Image credits: NASA
Image credits: ESA
Our physical exploration of the moon began in 1959 with Luna 2, a space probe launched by the Soviet Union. Previously, the only exploration available was done solely based on observations from Earth.
Galileo Galilei is considered the first person to use a telescope for astronomical purposes. He made his own telescope in 1609 and the moon’s surface was one of his first observations with it.
Nowadays, thanks to rapidly developing technology, many people are taking detailed photos of the moon’s surface, but photographer Darya Kawa Mirza, better known as @daryavaseum on social media, is definitely among the most famous.
The 30-year-old astrophotographer lives in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq.
“I was obsessed with photography since I was a child and got my first camera. I start photographing everything: the moon, landscapes… Until my father bought me a digital camera in 2007,” Darya said in the interview with Bored Panda.
“Day after day I learned all the basics and important things related to the camera and after a few years my knowledge expanded so much that in 2014 I bought more advanced photography equipment,” said the astrophotographer.
When asked how he started taking such detailed photos of the moon, Darya told us it happened completely by accident. “I have always been curious about the sky, but the turning point came when I discovered telescopes. I ordered a small one for myself and that’s how it all started,” he said.
Darya told us that the entire process of taking photos can take anywhere from several hours to several days. “For example, my latest moon shot requires four days of continuous shooting,” he explains.
“The moon has always been special to me and not only because it can sometimes be quite a challenge to take photos, but also because through my photography I can bring it closer to all those people who share the same deep love for the brightest and most brilliant people. largest object in our night sky,” Darya said, adding that he would also like to capture Saturn and Jupiter in the future.
Image credits: @daryavaseum
Image credits: @daryavaseum
Image credits: @daryavaseum
As ESA’s Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality, Franco Ongaro, beautifully puts it: “If space is an ocean, then the moon is our nearest island”, the island humans last visited in 1972 during the 17th Apollo mission.
And who knows, maybe the next manned mission to the moon will find the evidence about the decay of protons into something else and finally resolve the conflict between physical theories that we have had in recent decades.
People on the Internet shared their excitement about new possible discoveries on the moon