Kamioka Observatory

Kamiokande Kamioka Nucleon Decay Experiment stands for and is a nuclear physics experiment in the vicinity of the Japanese community Kamioka (now Hida ), which was originally intended to demonstrate the hypothetical proton decay. The experiment was designed by the Japanese physicist Masatoshi Koshiba and built from 1982 to 1983. Protonenzerfälle could not be detected, but the decor is suitable as a neutrino detector. In 1987, twelve Neutrinos from the supernova 1987A were detected. This was the first direct experimental confirmation of the theories about the processes in the collapse of a star, in particular the neutrino cooling.

In a tank with 3,000 tons of high-purity water are about 1000 photomultiplier, which register the Cherenkov radiation from electrons that have been accelerated by interaction with neutrinos. In order to largely shield the cosmic radiation, the tank is located deep under the earth.

In 1996, the successor to Super - Kamiokande in operation.