Underground physics without underground labs: large detectors in solution-mined salt caverns

TL;DR

This paper proposes using solution-mined salt caverns as cost-effective, large-scale underground detector sites for physics experiments, avoiding traditional costly underground excavation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach of deploying large particle detectors in salt caverns created by solution mining, potentially reducing costs significantly.

Findings

Feasible methods for installing detectors in salt caverns.

Detectors can maintain capabilities with minimal compromises.

Potential for large-scale physics experiments without traditional underground labs.

Abstract

A number of current physics topics, including long-baseline neutrino physics, proton decay searches, and supernova neutrino searches, hope to someday construct huge (50 kiloton to megaton) particle detectors in shielded, underground sites. With today's practices, this requires the costly excavation and stabilization of large rooms in mines. In this paper, we propose utilizing the caverns created by the solution mining of salt. The challenge is that such caverns must be filled with pressurized fluid and do not admit human access. We sketch some possible methods of installing familiar detector technologies in a salt cavern under these constraints. Some of the detectors discussed are also suitable for deep-sea experiments, discussed briefly. These sketches appear challenging but feasible, and appear to force few major compromises on detector capabilities. This scheme offers avenues for enormous cost savings on future detector megaprojects.