再评欧洲OPERA中微子超光速实验

Comment on the OPERA Experiment of CERN

物理学有一个著名法则是任何东西不能以超过真空中光速c的速度传播。但在2011年9月22日,在意大利完成的一项实验提供了中微子以超光速(v>c)运动的证据。相对于真空中光速,实验和计算显示中微子早到了[60.7±6.9(统计)±7.4(系统)]ns,亦即(v-c)/c=[2.48±0.28(统计)±0.30(系统)]×10-5。这表明中微子速度v=299799911m/s。研究人员对CERN与检测器间约730km的测量精度达20cm,相应时差的测量精度达10ns;而测量工作的置信度水平达6σ。这是真正了不起的实验。美国的MINOS项目已经准备作更精确测量以校对这一结果。如MINOS证实了OPERA发现,这结果的意义重大。但也有物理学家表示怀疑。如该结果错了,我们也不能完全抹杀这一实验的意义。超光速研究将继续进行。

A famous rule in physics is that nothing can travel than c,c is the light speed in vacuum.But in 22 september /2011,an experiment in Italy has unveiled evidence that the neutrinos can travel faster than light,i.e.vc.An early arrival time of CNGS muon neutrinos with respect to c that computed of [60.7±6.9（stat.）±7.4（sys.）]ns was measured,i.e.（v-c）/c=[2.48±0.28（stat.）±0.30（sys.）]×10-5.It means the neutrino speed is v=299799911m/s.The researchers claim to have measured the 730km trip between CERN and the detector to within 20cm,and they can measure the time of the trip to within 10ns.And they believe the result has a significance of 6σ. It is truly extraordinary.The MINOS project of the USA was already planning more accurate follow-up the OPERA experiment.If MINOS were to confirm OPERA＇ s find,the result would be enormous.But some of physicist remains sceptical.If the result of OPERA is wrong,we can＇ t adopt an attitude of negating everything,the research of faster-than-light would be remain unchanged.