LEGEND-1000: A quest to solve one of the most fundamental mysteries of the universe
ORNL is leading a global scientific search for an extraordinarily rare subatomic process that could reshape our understanding of the universe, illuminate the nature of the most elusive of fundamental particles, and even explain why matter—and thus life itself—exists.
Some of the most important questions in science are also the most fundamental: Why does the universe contain matter at all? Why do neutrinos, the second most abundant particle in the universe, behave in ways physicists cannot fully explain?
LEGEND-1000 could answer these questions.
An extremely powerful and sensitive underground experiment, LEGEND-1000 will be built by an ORNL-led collaboration with hundreds of researchers from around the world. Their goal? To understand the ghostly neutrino.
Reshaping physics knowledge
LEGEND-1000 will search for a long theorized but never-before-seen nuclear process called neutrinoless double beta decay. If observed, this process would demonstrate that the neutrino is its own antiparticle and could be the key to understanding how our universe formed. That would transform how scientists understand matter, mass, and the evolution of everything we can see around us—and much that we can’t.
The home of Big Science
LEGEND-1000 builds on decades of ORNL science and engineering, including precursor neutrino experiments, detector innovation, and ultra-pure materials development and characterization. The lab’s experience leading large science projects provides the foundation for construction and operation of LEGEND-1000. ORNL manages the U.S. Department of Energy's contribution to the project, coordinating work at the massive scale required for transformative discovery science.
Detecting a ghostly particle
At the heart of LEGEND-1000 are around 300 exquisitely sensitive detectors designed to identify an extraordinarily rare energy signature. The design of these highly-enriched germanium devices means that each could serve as both the source and the detector of this elusive process. To improve chances of seeing the signal, the experiment is isolated deep underground, using ultra-pure materials and advanced shielding to reduce background interference.
LEGEND-1000: Global collaboration. National leadership. Big Science.
LEGEND-1000: Global collaboration. National leadership. Big Science.
- Collaboration across 50 institutions from nearly a dozen nations
- ORNL-led DOE project support and management
- Built on a legacy of successful and ongoing experiments
- Pursuing one of the most consequential questions in modern physics
Illuminating the origins of the universe and driving physics discoveries
LEGEND-1000 is designed to tell us something fundamental about our existence while developing foundational understanding of the world around us, which could lead to entirely new types of technologies.
For centuries, the quest for scientific discovery has led to unforeseen innovations that have improved the lives of billions. Come along with us as we explore the wonders of existence at the smallest and largest scales imaginable, and discover the benefits this new knowledge can yield for future generations.
Additional Resources
Dive deeper into the LEGEND project through connections to international partners, research papers, multimedia resources, and more technical data.