The Sanford Underground Research Facility

TL;DR

The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is a versatile underground research site supporting physics experiments like dark matter and neutrino studies, with expanding infrastructure and capabilities for future scientific endeavors.

Contribution

This paper details SURF's operational history, current experimental facilities, and plans for expansion, highlighting its role in underground physics research and infrastructure development.

Findings

Supports experiments in dark matter, neutrino physics, and nuclear astrophysics.

Hosts the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).

Plans for additional underground space and infrastructure expansion.

Abstract

The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) has been operating since 2007 supporting underground research in rare-process physics, as well as offering research opportunities in other disciplines. SURF laboratory facilities include a Surface Campus as well as campuses at the 4850-foot level (1500 m, 4300 m.w.e.) that host a range of significant physics experiments, including those studying dark matter, neutrino properties, and nuclear astrophysics topics. SURF is also home to the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) that will host the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). SURF offers an ultra-low background environment, low-background assay capabilities, and electroformed copper is produced at the facility. SURF is proposing additional underground space on the 4850L and 7400L (2300 m, 6500 m.w.e.), and initial engineering designs have been completed. SURF is a dedicated research facility with significant expansion capability, and applications from new experiments are welcome.