1. Hunting neutrinos

2. Introductory section and preparatory phase
• Short Description: A new era in Astronomy and Cosmology raises.
Neutrinos are gathering information from the cores of the stars, while
travelling through the universe from the very beginning of the cosmos.
Reaching Earth a shower of particles spreads all over the planet and
scientists are hunting the “unsocial” neutrinos. Catching just one neutrino,
important knowledge can be gained from the depths of stars and the
initiatives of the universe. Ice cube in Antarctica is hunting neutrinos in the
total “silence” of North Pole. Cherenkov radiation by neutrinos moving
faster than the light in a medium can reveal secrets of our past. How this
happens? How neutrinos are detected? Students are studying the physics
of neutrinos, solving geometrical problems concerning Cherenkov’s cone
and having a Hangout with researchers at the Ice Cube.
• Keywords: Cosmology, Astrophysics, Stars, Neutrinos, Ice Cube,
Astronomy,
• Target audience: Students studying Physics and Astronomy.
• Age range: 14-18 years old
• Context: Natural Sciences School Lab, Computer School Lab, Internet
Connection.
• Time required: 6 hours

3. Introductory section and preparatory phase
• Technical Requirements: Internet connection, appropriate software: Google
Hungouts, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows, Computers, video projector
could be useful.
• Author’s background: Knowledge of Physics, knowledge of Astronomy,
Cosmology and Astrophysics, Stars, elementary particles, Google+, internet.
• Connection with the curriculum: Strongly related with Astronomy (Second
Class of Greek High School), Physics (First, Second and Third Class of Greek
High School).
• Learning Objectives: Hands on learning, Inquiry based learning, ICT in
education, use of Open Science Resources, learn students to cooperate and act
as researchers.
• Guidance for preparation: Search in literature, bibliography, internet and other
sources, about elementary particles and neutrinos. Study of Cosmology,
Astrophysics, Astronomy. Importance of neutrinos in cosmology and theories of
the beginning of the universe.

4. Pre-Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 1:
Questions Eliciting Activities – PROVOKE CURIOSITY
1. Teacher introduces students to theory of
elementary particles, focusing in neutrinos. He
presents to the students the following video
from CERN:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0KjXsGRv
oA
Then asks students about elementary particles
and neutrinos
2. Teacher also presents to students a
video about a “telescope” buried in
Antarctic ice that detects elusive
neutrinos:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/
10465749/Telescope-buried-in-Antarctic-
ice-detects-elusive-neutrinos.html

5. Pre-Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 1:
Questions Eliciting Activities – DEFINE QUESTIONS FROM
CURRENT KNOWLEDGE
Teacher reminds students of the
breaking the sound barrier.
Presents to them the following
theory of physics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=-tpwj5rA-OQ
Then, teacher presents the video “Cerenkov
Light: What is it?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4Ir6E4IG64
asking students to find similarities between
breaking the sound barrier and Cerenkov
radiation.
Teacher asks students to look at the geometry of
the Cerenkov cone (shown in two dimensions at
the inserted image).

6. Pre-Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 2: Active Investigation –
PROPOSE PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION OR HYPOTHESES
• Students are asked to use the HYPATIA software and simulate the
experimental procedure of discovering the Higgs Boson.
• This procedure reveals a way of “producing” neutrinos in colliders.
• Teacher asks students about the energies of these “earthy produced”
neutrinos.

7. Pre-Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 2:
Active Investigation – PLAN AND CONDUCT SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
• Students are attending a video from the ESA site about neutrinos
emitted from the cores of stars and galaxies.
Students are asked to use the
MINERVA software in order to
discover how new
discoveries are made.
We want to introduce
students in research
philosophy. Students can
thus realize the continuous
efforts of finding new tools to
research our world.

8. Pre-Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 2:
Active Investigation – PLAN AND CONDUCT SIMPLE INVESTIGATION
• We communicate live with the scientists at the Ice Cube
laboratory at South Pole via Google Hangouts.
• Students are encourage to ask questions about the
fundamental research and the basis upon neutrinos astronomy
is developed.
• How we detect neutrinos? Why we choose South Pole?
• How can we “extract” information from neutrinos?

9. Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 3:
Creation – GATHER EVIDENCE FROM OBSERVATION
• We also connect with CERN and exchange information about
neutrinos.
• How can we distinguish neutrinos from space (stars) from neutrinos
produced on Earth, at CERN for instance?
• What are the values of energies of neutrinos produced at CERN and
what are the energy values of neutrinos detected at Ice Cube?
• Then, students are asked to make assumptions about how can the
released energy reveals information about stars and space creation.

10. Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 4:
Discussion – EXPLANATION BASED ON EVIDENCE
• What can the geometry of the Cerenkov cone reveals?
• We ask students to distinguish the single cone produced by a
muon neutrino from the multiple cones produced by electron
neutrinos. What can the diffuse ring reveal?

11. Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 4:
Discussion – CONSIDER OTHER EXPLANATIONS
Furthermore we ask students
to find out why we need
neutrinos astronomy. What
questions are left to be
answered. Why
Cosmologists need
information from neutrinos?
Students are asked to find how long
does it take a photon to travel from the
core to the outer part of a star. They
can use the Sun4all software and the
educational scenario “Sunspots! Let
us introduce ourselves”.

12. Post-Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 5:
Reflection – COMMUNICATE EXPLANATION
• Students can now explain
why neutrinos are necessary
for describing the physics of
the inner part of the stars.
Neutrinos are offering
complementary information
to astrophysicists.
• Even more students can
distinguish low energy
neutrinos “produced” on
Earth from high energy
neutrinos emitted from
space objects.

13. • Think of new possibilities at astronomy. Think of neutrino or
other particles observatories.
Post-Experiment / Observation– Teaching Phase 5:
Reflection – FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES AND MATERIALS
• Take part into a large project
transforming the school
roofs into particle detectors.
• http://indico.cern.ch/event/99
542/page/1

14. Contact Information
• Name Surname: Chiotelis Ioannis
• Affiliation: Model Experimental High School of
University of Patras
• Address: Arakinthou 20, 26226, Patras, Greece
• Telephone: +306948372341
• Email: johnchiotelis@yahoo.gr
johnchiotelis@gmail.com
johnchiotelis@icloud.com