Events in Physics
Ken Long, Imperial College London
The Neutrino Factory and MICE
The neutrino is arguably the most mysterious of the fundamental particles. It is known that there are three types, or flavours, of neutrino. The theory of fundamental particles, the Standard Model, can be used to predict the results of neutrino interactions with great precision, yet measurements of the properties of the neutrino have shown that the theory is incomplete. New particles, new forces, or both must be postulated to explain the experimental results. These new particles and forces may have profound consequences; for example, it may be the neutrino that is responsible for removing all the antimatter created in the Big Bang. To elucidate the properties of the neutrino requires that high-energy neutrinos are produced on an industrial scale in a Neutrino Factory; the MICE experiment is a step on the way. I will describe this exciting experimental programme and the quest for answers to at least some of the fundamental questions of ‘life, the Universe, and everything’.