The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has quietly launched an ambitious new initiative to develop technology to detect and observe underwater man-made neutrinos, or “ghost particles.”
Called the Experimental Neutrino Detector program, DARPA has not disclosed how it plans to use a new underground neutrino detection system in keeping with the usual Department of Defense (DoD) secrecy surrounding underwater marine technologies.
However, the application documents received and reviewed by Debrief indicate that the program will focus on the detection of accelerator-source neutrinos. These types of neutrinos are man-made by using a particle accelerator to collide an accelerated beam of protons against a fixed target.
This suggests that DARPA may be exploring the use of neutrinos for long-range underwater communication or the detection of clandestine nuclear activities, including tracking enemy nuclear submarines.
“The Neutrino Detector Experimental Program seeks to conduct experiments observing accelerator-sourced neutrinos in natural bodies of water [and] intends to conduct experiments exploring commercial space in a neutrino detection scheme,” DARPA said in a solicitation notice.
Neutrinos are fundamental almost massless subatomic particles that interact only through the weak force. Sometimes called “ghost particles,” they represent the most abundant particles with mass in the universe and are produced naturally by sources such as the sun and cosmic rays or artificially by nuclear reactors or particle accelerators.
Neutrinos are extremely difficult to detect because they rarely interact with matterpassing through most materials, including Earth, without leaving a trace. However, the unique properties of neutrinos make them an object of intense interest for scientific research and possible military applications.
Neutrino detection usually requires large volumes of matter to capture the weak signals produced when neutrinos interact with atomic nuclei. Traditional methods involve the use of water Cherenkov detectors, where neutrinos interacting with water molecules produce charged particles that emit Cherenkov radiation. This radiation, in the form of ultraviolet light, is then detected by photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), enabling scientists to observe neutrino events.
However, Cherenkov detectors are massive and often located deep underground to shield them from cosmic rays and other background radiation.
DARPA’s Neutrino Detector Experimental Program seeks to overcome conventional neutrino detection challenges by developing more discrete systems that can use natural bodies of water as detection sites.
According to DARPA documents, the program will focus on developing and deploying complete detection systems capable of capturing accelerator-source neutrino interactions in smaller, shallower bodies of water. These locations may include coastal combat zones near coastlines, inland lakes or rivers.
While DARPA has not explicitly outlined the military applications driving the Experimental Neutrino Detector program, several potential uses can be inferred.
The ability of neutrinos to pass through matter makes them excellent candidates for long-range communication systems in challenging environments, including improving submarine communications.
Traditional methods of underwater communication, such as sonar, are limited by range and interference. On the other hand, neutrinos can travel great distances through water with minimal attenuation, providing a revolutionary approach to providing long-distance communication for naval operations.
In a 2022 paper published in Bioinformation, professor of bioinformatics at the University of South Florida, Dr. Paul Shapshak, said further understanding of astrobiology and innovations in physics is still needed. However, neutrino-based communications may be our best method of interacting with extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI).
“Because of the probable absence of life in any single galaxy, to increase the chance of detecting life, intergalactic transit neutrinos warrant consideration,” wrote Dr. Shapshak. “Potential neutrino-based communications are inferred as the optimal mechanism or site for detecting communications from ETI, as well as sending communications to ETI.”
In 2012, physicists conducted first transmission of information using neutrinos, demonstrating that neutrino communication is indeed possible.
Deploying accelerator-source neutrino detectors in the world’s oceans could also improve U.S. underwater surveillance capabilities by providing a better way to monitor nuclear-powered submarines.
Nuclear submarines are powered by on-board nuclear reactors, including all of America’s current fleet and potential nearby adversaries such as China’s Jin Class (Type 094) or Russia’s Yasen-class vessels.
Splitting uranium and plutonium atoms in a submarine’s reactor produces heat, generating high-pressure steam. This steam drives the propulsion turbines, powering the nuclear submarine. This extremely efficient process can enable a nuclear submarine to operate and remain submerged for nearly a year twenty years without fuel.
Efficiency aside, fragments of separated atoms inside a nuclear reactor become unstable and emit neutrinos as they decay. These almost massless neutrinos then pass through the submarine and the surrounding water without stopping.
By placing accelerator-source neutrino detectors at strategic locations, the US military can effectively track enemy nuclear submarines through the unique neutrino signatures produced by their reactors.
Tracking subsurface neutrino emissions could significantly improve the detection of nuclear-powered unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Since UUVs do not have a human crew, they can remain submerged indefinitely, making them extremely difficult to detect.
The same principle applies to anything involving nuclear reactions, meaning that accelerator-source neutrino detectors can be used to monitor other nuclear activities, including surveillance or detection of hidden nuclear facilities or nuclear weapons testing.
Ultimately, a sufficiently advanced neutrino detector, like the one DARPA aims to develop, could provide the US with ubiquitous nuclear surveillance and detection capabilities around the world and in space.
DARPA’s decision to focus on water-based neutrino detection in smaller bodies of water is strategic.
Large-scale neutrino detectors, such as those located in Antarctic ice (ice cube) or the Mediterranean Sea (KM3NeT), require significant infrastructure and deep water environments. DARPA aims to develop more versatile and deployable detection systems targeting shallower waters.
Detecting shallow water presents unique challenges, including higher background noise from cosmic rays and other sources. However, it also offers practical advantages, such as easier deployment and maintenance and the ability to test and iterate on smaller-scale systems before scaling.
The Neutrino Detector Experimental Program will proceed in several phases, beginning with the development and testing of prototype detection units. These units will be designed to capture and measure neutrino interactions using an array of PMTs arranged in Digital Optical Modules (DOMs).
The NuMI beam from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) will serve as the neutrino source for the experiments. The NuMI beam, which primarily produces muon neutrinos, will provide a controlled environment to test detection systems. The goal is to distinguish neutrino signals from background noise, ensuring that the detectors operate reliably under real-world conditions.
The Neutrino Detector Experimental Program will also be “executed on an aggressive timeline,” with initial prototypes expected to be tested and refined within 18 months. DARPA says this accelerated development is necessary because the NuMI beam is scheduled to be decommissioned in June 2026.
The program is slated to award a $12 million contract, and industry partners interested in working with DARPA on prototype systems must submit initial proposals by July 8.
The Experimental Neutrino Detector Program represents a bold step into the future of neutrino research and its potential for military applications.
If DARPA can successfully exploit the unique properties of neutrinos and use natural bodies of water as detection sites, this initiative could pave the way for new, disruptive communications and surveillance technologies.
Tim McMillan is a retired law enforcement executive, investigative reporter and co-founder of The Debrief. His writing typically focuses on defense, national security, the Intelligence Community, and psychology-related topics. You can follow Tim on Twitter: @LtTimMcMillan. Tim can be reached by email: tim@thedebrief.org or via encrypted email: LtTimMcMillan@protonmail.com
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