A Rapid City Regional Airport passenger views part of the new exhibit, “The Science at SURF: Images from the Underground, Lead, SD. The person is looking at some photos on the wall showing underground operaitons at SURF. Photo by Megan Johnson

A Rapid City Regional Airport passenger views part of the new exhibit, “The Science at SURF: Images from the Underground, Lead, SD.”

 

Photo by Megan Johnson

The Science at SURF: Images from the Underground, Lead, SD Displayed at Rapid City Regional Airport

Rapid City Regional Airport has launched a new exhibition, "The Science at SURF: Images from the Underground, Lead, SD," showcasing a stunning collection of photographs captured at SURF.

Rapid City Regional Airport is proud to announce the launch of a new temporary art exhibition, "The Science at SURF: Images from the Underground, Lead, SD," showcasing a stunning collection of photographs captured within the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). This display, aimed at merging science with art, offers travelers and visitors an extraordinary glimpse into the visual beauty contained within the world class science occurring at SURF.

"We are proud to bring the work of the Sanford Underground Research Facility to a wider audience at the airport," said Patrick Dame, Executive Director of Rapid City Regional Airport. "This show highlights the incredible scientific endeavors happening right here in the Black Hills."

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the exhibit aims to promote local STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) initiatives, fostering an appreciation for scientific exploration and discovery in western South Dakota.

“We’re delighted the Rapid City Regional Airport chose to showcase these images from SURF and we hope they serve to inspire the creative thinking that advances world class scientific research in the Black Hills and around the globe,” said Mike Headley, the executive director for the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority and the laboratory director at SURF.

The images on display were captured by SURF photographers Matthew Kapust and Stephen Kenny. They will be showcased at Rapid City Regional Airport starting in March 2024. We invite travelers passing through the airport to pause and immerse themselves in the inspiring world of underground science.

  • Reseachers work on the MAJORANA experiemnt at SURF inside a clean box with gloves.

    A pair of researchers working in an ultraclean environment on the Majorana Demonstrator, which investigated the imbalance of matter and antimatter in the universe, 4850 feet underground at SURF. 

    Photo by Matthew Kapust

  • A researcher collects a water and microbial sample underground

    Dr. Maggie Osburn, a professor at Northwestern University who leads the Deep Mine Microbial Observatory takes a sample from a drift wall inside SURF.

    Photo by Stephen Kenny

  • A borehole in SURF illumniated on the sides

    A shot inside a borehole at SURF that is part of enhanced geothermal systems research.  The work aims to pioneer the use of clean geothermal energy by tapping the heat trapped deep inside the earth.

    Photo by Matthew Kapust

  • a researchers peers into part of the LZ experiment at SURF

    A researcher works on the instillation of the LUX-ZEPLIN, a next generation dark matter experiment, at SURF. 

    Photo by Matthew Kapust

  • The inside of the LZ tank showing photomultiplier tubes

    One of the outer chambers of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter detector shows photomultiplier tubes that line the tank. The inner chamber is filled with seven metric tons of liquid xenon. LZ is located 4850 feet below ground at SURF and is the world’s leading dark matter experiment. 

     

    Photo by Matthew Kapust

     

  • The inside of a copper lined box that is part of a low background counter.

    This piece of scientific equipment, on the Black Hills State University Underground Campus 4850 feet below the surface at SURF, helps researchers determine the radio-purity of various components used in underground research.

    Photo by Matthew Kapust

by Mike Ray