What on Earth (or in the Universe) Is a Neutrino?
The first and most important question we must address is this: what on Earth (or in the universe) is a neutrino? In an Illinois News Bureau article, Lois Yoksoulian explains it as follows:
“Neutrinos are the second most abundant elementary particles in the universe after photons. Even though billions of them pass through us every second, we would not notice them because they rarely interact with matter. This property makes them one of the most elusive and mysterious elementary particles. On the other hand, they can traverse vast distances without bumping into anything, which makes them an excellent probe for astrophysical phenomena deep in the universe” (Yoksoulian).
This provides an excellent summary of the central topic of today’s article.
Why Neutrinos in a Telecommunications Blog?
What does this mean, though? And what is elementary particle physics talk doing in a telecommunications blog? As we know, the mediums we use for communication have undergone many changes—from electrical signals over copper to photonics over fiber, to Wi-Fi via protocol 802.11 and its frequency bands (most commonly 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) using wireless access points (WAPs). This progress has enabled increasingly creative ways to communicate over long distances.
However, each method has inherent drawbacks. Since the discovery of neutrinos, these strange particles have sparked a fascinating question: can they be used for communication? This article will explore why that question arose and whether it’s possible.
Neutrinos: The X-Men of Elementary Particles
Neutrinos are a unique type of particle. They possess both intriguing advantages and practical challenges.
Speed
Neutrinos are extraordinarily fast-moving particles, traveling at approximately 99% of the speed of light in a vacuum (and faster than light can travel through mediums such as air or glass). According to Einstein’s formula, E=mc2, the speed of light represents the upper limit for objects with mass. As mass increases, the energy required to approach the speed of light grows exponentially. Neutrinos, being almost massless, require minimal energy to reach such speeds, making them nearly as fast as photons but never quite able to reach that speed in the vacuum of space. Through air and water, the story is reversed though. Photons are drastically slowed down on Earth, but neutrinos are mostly unaffected by these mediums. So photons slow down, but neutrinos stay the same speed and surpass the speed of light.
Penetrative Ability
Neutrinos can pass through walls—and even planets. Their incredibly small mass and weak interactions with matter allow them to traverse dense molecular structures, such as steel, without obstruction. Trillions of neutrinos pass through your body daily without any noticeable effect.
Useful Application: Communication Through the World Instead of Around the World
This brings us to one of the most exciting potential applications for neutrinos as telecommunications experts: global and space communication.
Global Communication
The shortest route between two points is a straight line. In fiber optic communication, light (photons) is the undisputed champion of speed. However, even light must travel around the Earth or through fiber optics, encountering various impediments. Neutrinos, traveling at nearly the speed of light, could theoretically take a shortcut—straight through the planet.
Imagine a technology capable of propelling neutrinos encoded with data packets directly through the Earth. Communication from Chicago to Osaka or Louisville to Sydney could become significantly faster, bypassing the need for surface or satellite hops.
Space Communication
Consider communication with someone on the far side of the Moon. Current solutions rely on satellite constellations to relay laser-based communication signals. While practical, this approach is complex, costly, and contributes to space debris.
Neutrinos could offer a cleaner alternative, bypassing obstructions by traveling directly through celestial bodies. This would resolve the issue of losing contact with space travelers during planetary rotations, such as the Moon’s 27-day rotation period.
Challenges: Catching Neutrinos for Communication
Developing devices to reliably "catch" neutrinos is no small feat.
Current Technology
Existing neutrino detectors are massive and located deep underground or under ice, designed to capture neutrinos via rare interactions. Scaling these down to fit in a home or office while maintaining reliability is a significant hurdle.
Future Possibilities
A smaller, more practical device could resemble a digital optical module like those used by KM3NeT, a 17-inch glass sphere designed to detect neutrinos. However, transforming this telescope-like device into a functional router or switch would require additional technology to enable both transmission and reception of data.
For more info on the KM3Net DOM Click Here.
Data Security in a Neutrino World
How would you encrypt data transmitted via neutrinos?
Silja Haapanen of UCLA posits that because neutrinos are nearly unaffected by matter, a neutrino beam could transmit confidential information directly to a recipient without interception. This directional transmission offers unprecedented security, rivaling quantum encryption and surpassing Wi-Fi in terms of confidentiality.
Such advancements could revolutionize both commercial and residential telecommunications, transforming the Internet service provider (ISP) business.
Final Thoughts
While the technology to enable sub-millisecond, real-time global communication using neutrinos does not yet exist, research and development are ongoing. As our understanding of particle physics grows, practical applications for neutrino-based communication may become a reality.
In the meantime, the prospect of this technology offers a glimpse into a future where communication transcends current limitations, revolutionizing how we connect.
“It’s not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.”
— William Shakespeare
References and Research
Yoksoulian, Lois. “What is a neutrino and why do they matter?” Illinois News Bureau. Link, July 18, 2018.
Haapanen, Silja. “Neutrinos for Submarine Communications.” UCLA Physics 199 Class Report. Link, 2003.
Stack Exchange. “Is neutrino-based communication possible?” Link.
Stack Exchange. “Do neutrinos travel faster than light in air?” Link.
Quora. “Will there be a neutrino communication-based internet?” Link.
KM3NeT. “Initiative for a new large-scale neutrino observatory in the Pacific Ocean.”Link.