Frontiers in Physics (Apr 2024)

Construction of Yemilab

  • K. S. Park,
  • Y. D. Kim,
  • Y. D. Kim,
  • K. M. Bang,
  • H. K. Park,
  • M. H. Lee,
  • M. H. Lee,
  • J. So,
  • S. H. Kim,
  • J. H. Jang,
  • J. H. Kim,
  • S. B. Kim

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2024.1323991
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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The Center for Underground Physics of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in Korea has been planning the construction of a deep underground laboratory since 2013 to search for extremely rare interactions such as dark matter and neutrinos. In September 2022, a new underground laboratory, Yemilab, was finally completed in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, with a depth of 1,000 m and an exclusive experimental area spanning 3,000 m3. The tunnel is encased in limestone and accommodates 17 independent experimental spaces. Over 2 years, from 2023 to 2024, the Yangyang Underground Laboratory facilities will be relocated to Yemilab. Preparations are underway for the AMoRE-II, a neutrinoless double beta decay experiment, scheduled to begin in Q2 2024 at Yemilab. Additionally, Yemilab includes a cylindrical pit with a volume of approximately 6,300 m3, designed as a multipurpose laboratory for next-generation experiments involving neutrinos, dark matter, and related research. This article provides a focused overview of the construction and structure of Yemilab.

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