Borexino neutrino detector which allowed for the first direct observation of the solar pp neutrinos

The Borexino experiment was qualified as one of ten biggest breakthroughs in the area of physics and astrophysics in 2014 by the Physics World magazine.

In August 2014, the international Borexino team (featuring four scholars from the JU Institute of Physics – Prof. Marcin Wójcik, Dr Marcin Misiaszek, Dr Grzegorz Zuzel and Dr Wojciech Wlazło) announced the first direct observation of the solar pp neutrinos in an article entitled "Neutrinos from the primary proton–proton fusion process in the Sun". The observation confirmed the correctness of models according to which the fusion of two protons into deuterium is the first and most important of the pp cycle responsible for the production of 99% of solar energy. The detection of pp neutrinos is extremely difficult due to their low energy. They provide information about the rate of nuclear reactions and the conditions inside the core of the Sun.

The contribution of JU scientists was crucial for direct observation of low energy solar pp neutrinos. The current work of Dr Misiaszek may allow for CNO neutrino stream measurement.

The Physics World magazine decided that the most important event in 2014 was the first comet landing, which may provide us with an opportunity to uncover more about space objects coming from distant places in our solar system. Polish scientists  have contributed to this as well, since the engineers and scholars from the Polish Academy of Sciences Space Research Centre have constructed the penetrator used to drill the surface of the 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko comet.