Centre for Underground Physics in Pyhäsalmi
Encyclopedia
Centre for Underground Physics in Pyhäsalmi or CUPP is an underground physics
laboratory located in Pyhäjärvi
, Finland
. It is located in the deepest metal mine of Europe
, the Pyhäsalmi Mine
(1444 m (4,737.5 ft) deep; the laboratory has sites at many levels of the mine) and uses some of the infrastructure of the mine. The laboratory is made to study neutrino
-physics and cosmic radiation, as well as other subjects (ranging outside physics, like geology
or biology
) that benefit from the underground laboratory's unique conditions. The reason that the laboratory is underground is because in the particle physics experiments
, the background radiation is a problem, which can be solved by placing the laboratory underground so that the background radiation is absorbed in the rock above. The centre is currently (2011) hosting the EMMA experiment, and is a candidate for the proposed Europe
an LAGUNA
-observatory. Previous experiments hosted include the cosmic-ray experiment MUG (studying the depth dependency and time-dependence of the radiation) in 2001-2003 and MUD (studying the depth-dependency of the muon flux from cosmic radiation) in 2003-2005. The laboratory is managed by a regional unit of the University of Oulu
, the Oulu Southern Institute, and it has seven employed personnel and hosts visiting researchers.
-experiment at CERN
. EMMA is a joint venture of the University of Oulu
, University of Jyväskylä
, University of Aarhus
and the Russian Academy of Sciences
.
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
laboratory located in Pyhäjärvi
Pyhäjärvi
Pyhäjärvi is a town and municipality in the south of Northern Ostrobothnia region, Finland. Pyhäjärvi also borders the Northern Savonia and Central Finland regions. The town belongs to the subregion of Nivala–Haapajärvi...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. It is located in the deepest metal mine of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Pyhäsalmi Mine
Pyhäsalmi Mine
Pyhäsalmi Mine, the deepest metal mine in Europe is located at the Pyhäjärvi municipality in the south of Oulu province, Finland. The zinc and copper mine is owned by Inmet Mining, a Canadian mining corporation.- History :...
(1444 m (4,737.5 ft) deep; the laboratory has sites at many levels of the mine) and uses some of the infrastructure of the mine. The laboratory is made to study neutrino
Neutrino
A neutrino is an electrically neutral, weakly interacting elementary subatomic particle with a half-integer spin, chirality and a disputed but small non-zero mass. It is able to pass through ordinary matter almost unaffected...
-physics and cosmic radiation, as well as other subjects (ranging outside physics, like geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
or biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
) that benefit from the underground laboratory's unique conditions. The reason that the laboratory is underground is because in the particle physics experiments
Particle physics experiments
Particle physics experiments briefly discusses a number of past, present, and proposed experiments with particle accelerators, throughout the world. In addition, some important accelerator interactions are discussed...
, the background radiation is a problem, which can be solved by placing the laboratory underground so that the background radiation is absorbed in the rock above. The centre is currently (2011) hosting the EMMA experiment, and is a candidate for the proposed Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an LAGUNA
Large Apparatus studying Grand Unification and Neutrino Astrophysics
Large Apparatus studying Grand Unification and Neutrino Astrophysics or LAGUNA is an European project aimed to develop the next-generation, very large volume underground neutrino observatory. The detector should be much bigger and more sensitive than any previous detector, and make new discoveries...
-observatory. Previous experiments hosted include the cosmic-ray experiment MUG (studying the depth dependency and time-dependence of the radiation) in 2001-2003 and MUD (studying the depth-dependency of the muon flux from cosmic radiation) in 2003-2005. The laboratory is managed by a regional unit of the University of Oulu
University of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
, the Oulu Southern Institute, and it has seven employed personnel and hosts visiting researchers.
EMMA
EMMA (Experiment with MultiMuon Array) is a cosmic-ray experiment taking place in CUPP at the depth of 80 metres. It consist of detector stations (each station has 9 detectors) 15 m^2 each and it is focused on studying the composition of cosmic rays in the energy above 1 PeV-range, the so-called knee region. The detectors enable the muon-particle shower multiplicity, lateral distribution and direction of entry-measurements. The drift chambers used in the experiment originate from the DELPHIDelphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
-experiment at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
. EMMA is a joint venture of the University of Oulu
University of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
, University of Jyväskylä
University of Jyväskylä
The University of Jyväskylä is a university in Jyväskylä, Finland. It has its origins in the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college , founded in 1863. Around 14,000 students are currently enrolled in the degree programs of the university...
, University of Aarhus
University of Aarhus
Aarhus University , located in the city of Aarhus, Denmark, is Denmark's second oldest and second largest university...
and the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
.