A Neutrino on the Scales

Dr. Elisabeth Zuber-Knost
Press Officer

Kaiserstraße 12
76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Phone: +49 721/608-2089
Fax: +49 721/608-3658

When the Neue Messe Stuttgart will open from October 19 to 21, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will provide visitors with exciting insights into its current research. How do BtL (biomass to liquid) fuels perform? How do the most precise scales in the world work? And which chances does nanotechnology offer? Questions that will be answered by the KIT scientists.

For details, please contact:
Monika Landgraf

Press and Communication
Universität Karlsruhe (TH)

Phone: +49 721 608 8126
or +49 721 608 2089

E-mail

For the opening exhibition “Innovation Meets Emotion” at the Neue Messe Stuttgart, the most modern exhibition center in Europe, KIT scientists have selected five highlights of their current research and will present them to the visitors (hall 8, booth D 41). Also people interested in studies or training at the KIT may inform themselves at the KIT booth:

Career Service

At present, 41 studies courses at 11 faculties are being offered by the KIT, the focus being on natural and engineering sciences. Staff from the career service of the Universität Karlsruhe and the Department for Personnel of the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe will be pleased to answer any questions regarding studies, training, and employment at the KIT.

Research Highlights

Meteorology and Climate Research

Troposphere research focuses on the climate, water cycle, and trace substances. Based on the research results, models are being generated to adequately represent and forecast processes of the climate system and weather phenomena.

At the exhibition, a captive balloon of about 5 m length will be presented. It measures the meteorological parameters of horizontal wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, air humidity, and air pressure.

Renewable Energies

Biomass is the only renewable carbon source and, hence, the only regenerative source for the production of basic chemical substances and synthetic high-quality fuels. BtL (biomass to liquid) fuels reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and the amount of combustion residues damaging health and climate. Moreover, BtL fuels do not increase the CO₂ content of the atmosphere. The two-stage bioliq concept developed by the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe will be presented at the exhibition. It allows for the production of fuels on a large technical scale and, hence, in an economically efficient manner.

Apart from a model of the bioliq plant, a petrol pump from the 1950s will catch your eye.

The bioliq pilot plant at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe.

Astro-particle Physics

KATRIN, the KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino Experiment shall answer one of the most exciting questions of physics: What is the mass of the neutrino and which role does it play in the development of our universe? For this purpose, a very-high-resolution spectrometer will measure the energy of electrons. KATRIN will have a total length of 70 m and consist of three main components: The highly intensive tritium source for the generation of electrons, a system of two spectrometers to determine their energy, and a detector of the electrons.

Measurement of the neutrino mass will be presented in the form of a pinball machine. The pinball will stand for the neutrino.

Nano- and Microtechnologies

Microsystems engineering and nanotechnology are two disciplines of miniaturization in science and engineering, which complement each other. Nanotechnology provides access to so far unused, completely novel effects. Microsystems engineering allows for the development of complete systems solutions. The NanoMikro (Nano- and Microscale Research and Technology) Center of KIT that will be founded by January 01, 2008 will be the largest center working in the fields of nanotechnology and microsystems engineering in Germany.

The four small, separately moving robot arms of the exhibit reflect the four topics of nano- and microscale production, nanoscaled materials, photonics, and nanobiology.

Applied Light Technology, Light Measurement Technology, and Visual Optics

The high number of road accidents shows how important excellent headlights are. “To see, be seen, and not blinding anybody”, to meet these requirements, engineers are constantly working on improved concepts with new innovative light distributions.

The simulation headlight “Voxellight” will be presented. It consists of 32 adjustable modules of four light diodes each and, hence, allows to generate and test various light distributions.

Photos of printing quality may be obtained from: Presse ∂does-not-exist.verwaltung uni-karlsruhe de or by calling +49(0)721/608-2089.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) represents the merger of the Universität Karlsruhe with the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. Altogether, it has 8000 employees and an annual budget of 600 million Euros. In the KIT, both partners are bundling their scientific competences and capacities, establishing optimum research structures, and developing joint strategies and visions.

The KIT will be an institution of internationally excellent research and lecturing in natural and engineering sciences. KIT shall attract the best experts from all over the world, set new standards in lecturing and promotion of young scientists, and establish the leading European center in the field of energy research. KIT will assume a leading role in nanosciences worldwide. It is the objective of KIT to be one of the most important cooperation partners of industry.