ANDES, an underground laboratoryin the Agua Negra tunnel

H. Asorey1, X. Bertou1, O. Civitarese2, M. Gomez Berisso1

1 CNEA/CONICET, Centro Atomico Bariloche, Instituto Balseiro, Argentina2 CONICET, Departamento de Fısica. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. UNLP, Argentina

VIII SILAFAE, December 2010

Underground Laboratories

Muon flux vs depth

Muon flux at sea level: few 100 m−2 s−1

Experiments in underground laboratories - ν

Neutrinos� Atmospheric neutrinos� Solar neutrinos� Astrophysical neutrinos� Neutrino oscillations� Neutrino mass� Neutrino nature

(double beta decay)� Geoneutrinos

Experiments in underground laboratories - DM

Dark matter search: WIMPs� Cryogenic detectors� Noble liquid detectors

� Direct detection� Indirect signal

(modulation)

Experiments in underground laboratories - Others

� Geoscience� Biology� low radioactivity measurements...

� material selection� climatology, environment� microelectronics

Underground Laboratories

� None in the southern hemisphere

Southern hemisphere and Latin America?

South Africa� First natural neutrino 1965

South America� Argentina: experiment at Sierra Grande mine (1000 wme)

� Search for an annual modulation of dark-matter signals witha germanium spectrometer at the Sierra Grande laboratoryAstropart.Phys. 10 (1999) 133-139

� Brasil: search for a mine by Lattes� Chile: El Teniente mine prospected

Latin America� Mexico: proposal of the multidisciplinary mexican

underground laboratory (LSMM) for Mega Proyectos 2006

Some Underground laboratories

Laboratories in mines� SNOLab, Kamiokande� Homestake: possible extention (DUSEL)

Laboratories in tunnels� Gran Sasso: 3 halls of (100× 20× 20) m3

Total volume: 180 000 m3

� Modane: main hall of (30× 10× 11) m3

3 secondary rooms (70 + 18 + 21) m2 × 4.5 m

� Mines easier to build/expand� Tunnels easier to access, to work within

The Agua Negra tunnel

and the ANDES laboratory

Andes crossing

� It is of strategic importance for the region to increaseexportation to the Asian market

� The natural way for Argentina and Brazil is to export byboat through Chile

� There are various passes. The main one, the CristoRedentor tunnel from Mendoza to Santiago, cannot fulfilthe increasing international demand, especially in winterwhen it has to close due to strong snows, with thousandsof trucks stuck every year

� Argentina, Brazil and Chile have been looking for years atan alternative based on a low altitude tunnel

� There have been various proposals for Mendoza -Santiago (train tunnel, Las Lenas pass) and San Juan -Coquimbo (Agua Negra)

The Agua Negra tunnel context� Recently the San Juan - Coquimbo option is favoured� A pre-feasibility study started in 2005� In 2008 more complex studies and prospectives were

made to conclude on the feasibility of the project� Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Michelle Bachelet

signed a Bi-National Integration treaty, including the SanJuan - Coquimbo option, in October 2009, voted later on byboth countries

� Last MERCOSUR meeting was in San Juan beginning ofAugust and a strong support for the Agua Negra tunnelwas given, with Lula da Silva pushing for the tunnel tenderto be started before the end of his term (end of this year)

� Two step tender, end of this year(?) and mid-end 2011� Seems likely that the tunnel construction will start next year� Total cost is about 850 MU$D

Location of the Agua Negra pass

Tunnel proposed

� 2 tunnels, 12 m � each, separated by 60 m, ≈ 14 km long� Argentine entry point at the Quebrada San Lorenzo,

4085 m a.s.l.� Chilean entry point on a ridge, at ≈ 3600 m a.s.l.� Internal connexion galleries every 500 m� Deepest point at ≈ 1750 m depth

� ≈ 3700 m of altitude� relatively remote� “hot” tunnel ≈ 30− 40◦ C

� Ideal depth for an Underground Laboratory(≈ Frejus-Modane)

2 tunnels separated by 60 m

Geology studies

Results of Geology studies

Main rock: Andesite� density ≈ 2.7 g.cm−3, low radioactivity� Variations:

� basalt (+ dense, - radioactive)� rhyolite (- dense, + radioactive)

4500-4800 mwelow radioactivity

ANDES Laboratory concept

ANDES Laboratory zoomed

ANDES Laboratory details

Located at km 3.5-5

3 big halls:� main hall 1:

(20×25×50) m3

� hall 2: same size,3-4 floors

� hall 3: pit �15-20 m,20 m depth

Linear tunnel for interfer-ometer/accelerator

Total cost ≈ 10 MU$D� + 2 external labs� + experiments cost

Something special about ANDES?

� Only underground laboratory in southern hemisphere� Opposite weather modulations� 7600 km from Fermilab� 12400 km from KEK� low reactor neutrino background

Tunnel schedule

Inauguration in 2017 (2018?)� The laboratory would be in the km 3.5-5

� Lab construction starting in 2013 (2014?)� Include the laboratory in the tunnel (final) tender

Need to have factibility studies mid 2011Cost ≈ 1% of lab cost (100 kU$D)

El Consorcio Latinoamericanode Experimentos Subterraneos (CLES)

The Latinamerican Consortiumfor Underground Experiments

The Latinamerican Consortium for UndergroundExperiments (CLES)

� The MERCOSUR (UNASUR) aspect of the Agua Negratunnel can be naturally extended to the ANDES laboratory

� Excellent opportunity to have an international laboratory,not only international experiments

� The CLES could be our “seed” for a small CERN withrespect of underground experiments (not only high energy:geology, biology, technology...)

� Common participation for the ANDES laboratory operationand operating funds

� CLES would form the Scientific Committee to manage theANDES laboratory

Current Status

Strong interest� among colleagues

� Argentina, Brasil, Chile� Others (Mexico, France, Italy, Russia, US...)

� within Geoconsult Buenos Aires SA� within the San Juan province in Argentina� in Argentine and Brasilean authorities

Next steps

� project scientific evaluation� make contacts in Coquimbo province� finalize laboratory design� factibility project to finalize mid 2011

Time is of the essence

Conclusions

Unique opportunity for a Latinamerican Consortium� Argentina, Chile, Brasil� Mexico (LSMM, Megaproyectos 2006)� Other interested countries?� Participation to the Scientific Committee� Contribution to Operating Costs

Project support� Scientific support� Political support� Get money for Feasibility study� Work on including the lab in the tunnel tender

ANDES Workshop (in Buenos Aires 11-15 April 2011?)� Scientific program for the laboratory� Define possible experiments� Fix laboratory size and shape

Web page: http://bit.ly/andeslab

Thank you!