Understanding of the universe moves forward: NOvA building readies for neutrino detector

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at the first-of-its-kind $238 million facility Friday celebrated completion of the building, known as NOvA. Now, the laboratory, located near Ash River, is set for assembly of the 15,000-ton particle detector that will study subatomic particles called neutrinos, fundamental building blocks of matter that can help researchers discover how the universe was formed and how it will develop in the future.

The idea for the laboratory of the School of Physics and Astronomy in the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering, started 10 years ago.

“What motivated us then and what motivates us now is science,” said Mark Messier, NOvA lab spokesperson, Friday to a gathering of about 175 area residents, students, officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the University of Minnesota.

“The eyes of the world are upon us,” Messier said. “Next year at this time we will have the first data.”

The NOvA laboratory contains a shielded detector hall that is 280 feet long and 67 feet wide with a 70-foot ceiling. To eliminate cosmic-ray radiation, the hall’s roof is shielded by four feet of concrete and covered by an additional six inches of barite. Attached to the hall is a 72-foot long assembly area and a 124-foot long loading dock area with space to house dual overhead cranes. The block pivoter, weighing more than 750,000 pounds, will be used to move the more than 12,000 modules that comprise the neutrino detector into position.

Constructed from individual modules weighing 1,100 pounds, the finished detector will comprise more than 13 million pounds of PVC and rank as the world’s largest PVC structure.

Marvin Marshak, director, NOvA laboratory, School of Physics and Astronomy professor, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, was joined at the gathering by Eric Kalar, University of Minnesota president.

“This exciting, basic research will take us down roads, in this case fairly remote roads, leading us eventually to things we don’t know,” said Kalar.

Kalar said the facility demonstrates the university’s role in world-class research.

Marshak spoke of how connections helped get the project started. He pointed to John Stegmeir, a Department of Natural Resources forester, who helped find a site for the facility, noting that Stegmeir’s son was Marshak’s former student.

He also credited Craig Halla, of Forest Capital Partners, who he said understood the cultural nature of the project. And, he said the facilities neighbor, Voyageurs National Park and its Superintendent Mike Ward, show how science and wilderness can live together.

“This is great scientific advance in the scientific culture of Minnesota,” Marshak said.

Glen Crawford, director, High Energy Research and Technology Division, Office of Science, Department of Energy, said the project shows that America continues to be a leader in science and can still do big things despite the economic downturn. The project was assisted by $9.9 million in Recovery Act funding to Fermilab for purchasing key high-tech components from U.S. companies, enabling those firms to retain and hire workers.

Marshak discussed the ideas at work in the laboratory as he ate lunch with several undergraduate students from the university who got the day off from class to attend the event.

“We’re asking questions people have asked forever,” he said. “How did the universe get to be what it is? How does the sun work? Where does the energy come from? We’re now asking them at a different level. Historically, people thought the sun was Apollo, who rode a chariot across the sky. That was an answer useful 2,500 years ago. Today, we need a much more technological answer and that’s how we got to a facility like this.

Marshak said he wants to encourage young people to challenge scientific thought and have fun doing it. “I wouldn’t do science if it weren’t fun,” he said. “Unfortunately today, a lot of young people think science is not fun. But this (the facility) is big toys for big kids.”

A young woman freshman at the university said she was “super excited” to learn from Marshak about the fundamentals of the universe.

Student Nakita Novik motivated his friends to attend Friday’s event. He works at the university’s Module Factory, located in Minneapolis, where each module of the detector will be made.

“I figured this would be amazing,” said Novik. “It’s so impressive.”

Novik said he wants to return next year to be on hand the first time the scientists see the neutrinos.