T2K, or Tokai to Kamioka, is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment based in Japan. It aims to study neutrinos, which are subatomic particles that are difficult to detect due to their weak interaction with matter. The experiment sends a beam of neutrinos from the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) in Tokai to the Super-Kamiokande detector located in Kamioka, approximately 295 kilometers away.
The primary goal of T2K is to investigate the phenomenon of neutrino oscillation, where neutrinos change from one type, or flavor, to another as they travel. By measuring the differences in the number of neutrinos detected at Super-Kamiokande compared to what was expected, researchers hope to gain insights into the properties of neutrinos and their role in the universe.