The first generation of solar neutrino experiments confirmed that the Sun's energy comes from nuclear fusion reactions taking place inside its core. They also highlighted some important gaps in our understanding. The role of the next generation is to establish where exactly the anomaly lies. They will help us to improve our understanding of particle physics and the evolution of stars like our Sun. The Next Generation , Physics Today Vol.
Neutrinos are tiny, electrically neutral, sub-atomic particles.
The experiment yields results that are outside the standard theory of particle physics, which describes the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions. Until now, there has been no firm evidence that neutrinos possess mass. The new evidence is based upon studies of neutrinos which are created when cosmic rays, fast-moving particles from space, bombard the earth's upper atmosphere producing cascades of secondary particles which rain down upon the earth. Most of these neutrinos pass through the entire earth un-scathed. Faint flashes of light given off by the neutrino interactions in the tank are detected by more than 13,000 photomultiplier tubes that were manufactured for the experiment by Hamamatsu Corporation.