Beneath a mile of dolomite rock at Gran Sasso pulses the heart of research. Scientists from around the world, three large halls and dozens of experiments, state-of-the-art instrumentation and machinery bring to life the world’s largest underground nuclear physics and astrophysics laboratories. The Gran Sasso National Laboratories (LNGS-INFN) house experiments and studies in nuclear astrophysics and particle physics of cosmic origin, namely neutrinos (elementary particles with no electric charge) and dark matter. The rocks that cover the facilities maintain the environment at a naturally low radioactivity and make the particles’ characteristics unchanged, allowing their study.
ALESSIA GIAMPAOLI, EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION GRAN SASSO LABORATORIES
Built in 1987, they are used as a worldwide facility by scientists from 32 different countries. The entrance to the laboratories is in the Gran Sasso tunnel in the direction of Rome; to gain access, one must pass through a special security door. The three large experimental halls, Hall A, Hall B and Hall C, each measure about 100 m. long, 20 m. wide and 18 m. high with a service tunnel. The Management Center, support facilities such as the library and cafeteria are in the outer part of the laboratories. The 1,000 researchers, 400 of whom are Italian, are working on 15 experiments, some of them in the study phase and others active for more than 10 years. In Room A they are working on the LVD, GERDA, CREEST and HEART experiments, the latter of which has a special history: the lead ingots used in the research date back 2,000 years; they were in fact found on an old transport ship from the Roman era. Because of their age, the ‘ancient’ lead ingots developed unique insulating characteristics that later proved invaluable in building the detector screen needed to study a rare decay. A decay involving neutrinos. This phenomenon must be shielded from the natural radiation of the surrounding rock in order to be studied. The Heart research thus enabled the union of archaeology and science.
In Hall B, the XENON experiment is underway, while in Hall C, the DARK SIDE and BOREXINO experiments are being studied.
Because of the huge amount of water inside Gran Sasso, internal temperatures fluctuate between 6 and 7 degrees Celsius and humidity reaches 100 percent all year round. Therefore, most of the underground structures are waterproofed and insulated, and ventilation, provided by a long pipeline running along the highway tunnel, takes in about 35,000 m3 of air per hour from outside.
INTERVIEW WITH RESEARCHER LUCA PATTAVINA – Pattavina explains some of the experiments underway at the Gran Sasso Laboratories and comments on the government’s recent announcement to allocate 60 million euros to fund research at the Gran Sasso National Nuclear Physics Laboratories.
How to get to the Gran Sasso National Laboratories (LNFS). Only authorized personnel and accompanied groups are allowed access to the laboratories during guided tours.
From Rome, from Pescara, from Teramo
