The Nobel Prize in Physics 2002

The Kamiokande water tank was lined with photomultipliers. When neutrinos enter the tank, they can interact with electrons. These produce flashes of light, which are registered by the photomultipliers.
Photo: Kamioka Observatory

 

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2002

 

       
 

Masatoshi Koshiba
International Centre for Elementary Particle Physics, University of Tokyo, Japan
The Supernova 1987A
The neutrinos arrived at 07:35 on
23 February 1987.
 Photo: The Anglo-Australian Observatory
There is a clear increase in the
signal for neutrinos coming from the sun.
 

KAMIOKANDE CAPTURED NEUTRINOS IN WATER
Masatoshi Koshiba followed up on the measurements made by Raymond Davis Jr by developing a large water-filled detector, called Kamiokande, in a Japanese mine. Kamiokande was direction sensitive and could confirm Davis’ discovery that neutrinos came from the sun. The detector was operating on 23 February 1987 and detected 12 of the 1058 neutrinos emitted by supernova 1987A when it exploded 170,000 light years from the earth – the first clear observation of neutrinos produced outside our galaxy.

       
 

Contents:
| Introduction | Neutrino Astronomy | Elusive particles captured in cleaning fluid | Kamiokande captured neutrinos in water | What is a supernova? | What makes the sun shine? | A new view of the universe | X-ray Astronomy | How does an X-ray telescope work? | A violent universe | What happens next? | Further reading | Credits |

Addition to the Nobel Poster: Questions and Answers related to the Prize 
  Web Adapted Version of the Nobel Poster from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

To cite this section
MLA style: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2002. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Mon. 18 Nov 2024. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2002/9650-the-nobel-prize-in-physics-2002-2002-10/>

Back to top Back To Top Takes users back to the top of the page

Nobel Prizes and laureates

Nobel Prizes 2024

Six prizes were awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. The 12 laureates' work and discoveries range from proteins' structures and machine learning to fighting for a world free of nuclear weapons.

See them all presented here.

Illustration

Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.