The article, titled “Joint neutrino oscillation analysis from the T2K and NOvA experiments,” presents the first combined analysis of data from both facilities, offering new insights into the mysterious behavior of neutrinos.
According to Nature, the joint results determined the squared mass difference |m²₃ - m²₂| with a precision of up to 2%. Under the inverted mass hierarchy scenario, the analysis suggests a possible sign of charge-parity (CP) violation, a key phenomenon that could help explain why the universe is made primarily of matter rather than antimatter.
Both experiments employ high-energy accelerators to generate neutrino beams that travel vast distances underground: from Tokai to Kamioka in Japan (295 km) and from Fermilab to Minnesota in the United States (810 km). These experiments aim to uncover the fundamental properties of neutrinos, particles so elusive they are often described as “nearly invisible.”
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Education (IFIRSE), under the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) in Quy Nhon, Vietnam, is the only Southeast Asian institution involved in the T2K experiment since 2017.
IFIRSE’s Neutrino Physics Group, which contributed to projects recognized by the 2016 Breakthrough Prize and the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics, plays a key role in Vietnam’s participation.
Dr. Cao Văn Sơn, a leading member of the group, emphasized that joining the experiment enables Vietnamese researchers to master technologies in Cherenkov light detection, large-scale photodetector systems, and ultra-pure water processing. “This is a crucial stepping stone for Vietnam to build the technical capacity and human resources necessary for global research in high-energy physics,” he said.
The Neutrino Physics Laboratory at IFIRSE is the first and only facility in Vietnam and Southeast Asia dedicated to neutrino research. Led by Dr. Sơn and supported by Japanese collaborators, the lab trains students from institutions such as Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam-France University, and several universities in India through internships and joint projects.
The T2K experiment involves more than 560 scientists from 15 countries, while NOvA brings together over 250 researchers from 8 nations. Their partnership reflects the spirit of “science without borders,” advancing humanity’s understanding of the origin and nature of matter in the universe.
Read the full article here.