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Review
Ancient pyramids have always been a treasure trove of human history and architecture, but their sheer structure has given rise to countless mysteries.
However, modern scientists have finally succeeded in unraveling the mystery inside these ancient monoliths with the help of an amazing technique called muon perspective.
What is Muon Perspective
Muon perspective is a technology that uses muon as a tool to go deep into the interior of an object for imaging. Muons, high-energy elementary particles, have the unique ability to penetrate a wide range of matter.
However, the density of matter and the size of the nucleus affect the penetration rate of muons. To put it simply, it is easier to penetrate cavities, while when there are obstacles, the penetration rate is relatively low.
Based on this principle, scientists have built a system of muon detection telescopes, which are cleverly placed near the pyramids. By observing changes in the muon flux, they can determine what structure the scanned part is, and this more accurate detection method can also help to re-understand the inside of the pyramid.
The sensitivity of this system is almost 100 times higher than that of the current equipment used for pyramid detection, opening up the possibility of tomography imaging of such a large building for the first time.
Muon is one of the fundamental particles in nature, which can achieve non-contact and deep imaging of large target objects, and compared with traditional artificial ray devices, muon shows incomparable advantages.
Muons are formed when high-energy cosmic rays collide with atoms in the Earth's atmosphere. Muons exist for only 2.197 microseconds, after which they decay and decompose into an electron, a muon neutrino, and an antineutrino.
Since the muon is extremely fast, close to the speed of light, it does not really decompose so quickly, which also gives the muon a chance to reach the surface of the earth.
The initiative was initiated by ScanPyramids, an international research team. They aim to use cutting-edge technology to reveal the internal structure and contents of the Egyptian pyramids to understand their construction process and history.
The team members include the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, the HIP Institute in France, Nagoya University in Japan, and the High Energy Accelerator Research Institute. After receiving support and permission from the Egyptian government, they began work on the Muon Exploration of the pyramids.
What's in the pyramid
Launched in 2015, the "Scan the Pyramids" project aims to use cutting-edge technology to reveal the structure and contents of Egypt's pyramids in order to understand the history of their construction. Four pyramids were selected for the study, including the Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Kafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, and the Pyramid of Bent.
This exploration uncovered a "huge mysterious space" inside the Pyramid of Khufu. This space is located in the upper part of the pyramid, about 40 meters from the top, about 30 meters in length, about 6 meters in height, and the width is currently unknown.
The shape and orientation of this space is also not fully determined, and it may be horizontal or oblique. And, it may be a complete large space, or it may be a combination of several small spaces. This discovery is a major breakthrough and is the first ever discovery of a new large structure inside the Pyramid of Khufu.
The exact purpose and content of this space is not yet clear, and further research and analysis are needed to determine its nature. To gain a deeper understanding, they may employ more techniques and methods, such as high-resolution muon detection, drone detection, or microrobot detection, for more detailed observation and exploration.
What are the other applications of muon detection
Geological exploration is an important application field of muon detection technology. With this technique, the density distribution can be inferred by measuring the flux decay of cosmic ray muons within geological structures, thus determining the location of density changes. This location information is essential to guide subsequent geological exploration efforts, such as drilling and sampling.
Muon detection technology plays an important role in detecting geological phenomena and resources such as volcanoes, earthquakes, mineral deposits, and groundwater. For example, it can be used to image the interior of a volcano, revealing the shape, size, and location of magma chambers, providing critical information for monitoring and early warning of volcanic activity.
In addition, muon detection technology can also be used for mineral exploration, distinguishing different minerals and rocks, estimating ore reserves and distribution, and providing an important basis for mining development.
Muon detection technology also has important applications in the field of nuclear facility monitoring. It can be used to detect the internal structure and status of nuclear facilities such as nuclear reactors, nuclear waste, and nuclear weapons, without opening or disassembling the equipment, which is safe and efficient.
Muon detection technology has the ability to identify plateau atomic nuclides (such as uranium, plutonium, etc.) because they interact significantly with muon and are easily captured by muon detectors.
For example, the technology can be used to image the reactor core of the Fukushima nuclear power plant to determine the extent and location of the damage, providing important data for the handling and clean-up of nuclear accidents.
In addition, muon detection technology can also be used to detect nuclear smuggling, by scanning containers, vehicles, ships and other means of transport to detect the presence of nuclear materials, providing protection for nuclear safety and counter-terrorism. This efficient and non-invasive technology supports the monitoring and safety of nuclear facilities.
Muon detection technology also has an important application in the field of security inspection. It can be used for non-destructive testing of various large target objects, including bridges, tunnels, buildings, aircraft, rockets, etc., to find possible internal defects, cracks, corrosion and other problems, providing an important reference for repair and maintenance.
In addition, this technology can also be used for the protection of cultural relics and monuments. For example, the interior imaging of murals, sculptures, mummies, etc., reveals their structure and content, and provides an important basis for restoration and preservation. This non-invasive means of detection provides an efficient and reliable method for security screening and cultural heritage preservation.
epilogue
Through the continuous progress of science and technology, our understanding of history and the natural world has deepened, and Muon perspective technology is undoubtedly an important part of this great exploration.
Its appearance not only gives us a glimpse of the mysteries of ancient civilizations, but also opens a door to unknown territory for us. As scientists continue to explore, it is believed that this technology will bring surprises and discoveries in more fields.
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