In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news:

1. It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
2. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter.
3. It is buried deep in the ice.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

All statements are correct

• IceCube is a state-of-the-art neutrino telescope at the geographical South Pole (located near the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station), buried deep under the surface of the Antarctic ice cap.
• With more than five thousand optical sensors distributed over a cubic kilometer of ice, IceCube is the biggest particle detector world-wide.
• IceCube is also a multipurpose research facility with outstanding precision measurements in neutrino physics and exceptional contributions to cosmic ray physics, dark matter searches, and glaciology.

Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Hard