UPSC Prelims 2015·GS1·science-and-technology·science and technology

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?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. A1 only
  2. B2 and 3 only
  3. C1 and 3 only
  4. D1, 2 and 3Correct

Explanation

IceCube is a state-of-the-art particle detector located deep within the ice at the South Pole. Let's analyze the given statements: 1. It is the world's largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice: This statement is correct. IceCube consists of thousands of optical sensors embedded in a cubic kilometer of clear Antarctic ice, making it the world's largest neutrino observatory. 2. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter: This statement is correct. While its primary mission is to detect high-energy neutrinos from cosmic sources, IceCube's capabilities also allow it to be used in the search for dark matter, specifically by looking for neutrinos produced from dark matter annihilation or decay in the galactic halo or other astronomical objects. 3. It is buried deep in the ice: This statement is correct. The sensors of the IceCube detector are deployed at depths between 1,450 and 2,450 meters (nearly a mile and a half) in the glacial ice at the geographic South Pole. The deep ice provides a stable and ultra-transparent medium necessary for detecting the faint light signals produced by neutrino interactions. Therefore, all three statements are correct regarding the IceCube particle detector.
science-and-technology: In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about 'IceCube', a particle detector loc

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