Officials at the Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory today (September 11) announced the third in a planned series of Saturday tours for the public, led by Fermilab scientists. The tours will be held on Saturday, September 16, at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., at Fermilab’s MINOS experiment.
The MINOS (for “Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search”) experiment will send a beam of subatomic particles called neutrinos from Fermilab to a 5,000-ton steel particle detector in a former iron mine in northern Minnesota. Recent new experimental evidence has made the neutrino a focus of intense research interest for scientists around the world.
Fermilab physicists who are working on the experiment will serve as guides. Tour groups of up to 30 people will have an opportunity to see and learn about the construction and operation of the MINOS experiment, the particle beams, and the science of the neutrino. The tours provide ample opportunity for questions and interaction with Fermilab scientists.
There is no charge for the tour, but advance registration is required. Each of the two tours can accommodate up to 30 people. Children under 18 are welcome, but they must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, or to register for a tour, call 630-840-3351 during business hours. Fermilab plans to announce future tours of the laboratory’s facilities in coming weeks.
Fermilab is a Department of Energy national laboratory, operated by Universities Research Association, Inc.