China and Italy are investing heavily in the construction of the world's biggest cosmic ray lab in Tibet, which, when completed, will play a significant role in unraveling the secret of substance and energy sources.
The lab is to be set up in the well-known Yangbajing Cosmic Ray Observation Station (YCROS). As reported, the first-phrase investment from Italy will reach US$9 million and the Chinese State Development Planning Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Natural Science Foundation together invested some US$35 million in this project. In addition, the Cosmic Ray Research Institute of Tibet University will be involved in the management of this lab, according to Meng Xianru, head of Tibet International Yangbajing Cosmic Ray Observation Station.
It is reported that the lab hall is planned to cover an area of 10,000 square meters, half of which will be equipped with cosmic ray detector. "In terms of scale, it will be the largest of its kind in the world." Meng added.
Cosmic ray observation is basic research, which is of great importance in the study of atmosphere physics, nuclear physics, the activity of the sun, wireless communications, high-energy particles, climatic change, etc.
(People's Daily 05/29/2001)
