Searches for Ultrahigh Energy Neutrinos with AMANDA

南极μ子和中微子探测器阵列（阿曼达）是世界上首屈一指的高能中微子望远镜。 阿曼达打开了一扇以前未被探索过的宇宙之窗，跨越了许多数量级的能量，在这个能量范围内，光和宇宙射线无法充当天文信使。 在这样的能量下，中微子是唯一已知的可以发挥这种作用的粒子，如果历史是我们的指南，那么阿曼达中微子望远镜及其计划中的继任者IceCube对如此广阔的未探索的天空区域的前所未有的灵敏度将导致新的和令人兴奋的发现。“级联基本上是一个由中微子在冰中相互作用产生的膨胀光球。 该信号具有更好地包含在检测器体积中的优点，因此更容易重建并与可能的背景区分开。 除了创建分析技术来发现阿曼达检测器中的级联信号外，我们还将奋进校准检测器并升级其子系统，以提高其级联灵敏度。 本科生和研究生将与博士后研究员，P.I.和其他人在这项研究中。将作出协调一致的努力，包括代表性不足的群体，无论是在这项研究和物理学一般，通过女大学生的辅导计划。

The Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA) is the world's premier high energy neutrino telescope. AMANDA opens a previously unexplored window on the universe spanning many orders of magnitude in energy, a range in energy where light and cosmic-rays are unable to serve as astronomical messengers. At these energies, neutrinos are the only known particles that can play that role, and if history is our guide, the unprecedented sensitivity of the AMANDA neutrino telescope-and of its planned successor, IceCube-to such a vast, unexplored region of the sky will lead to new and exciting discoveries.This proposal focuses on a particular signal created by ultrahigh energy neutrinos, a signal known as a "cascade." A cascade is basically an expanding ball of light created by a neutrino interaction in the ice. This signal has the advantage of being better contained in the detector volume and hence easier to reconstruct and distinguish from possible backgrounds. In addition to creating analysis techniques to discover cascade signals in the AMANDA detector, we will also endeavor to calibrate the detector and upgrade its subsystems in order to enhance its cascade sensitivity. Undergraduate and graduate students will work with postdoctoral fellows, the P.I. and others in this research. A concerted effort will be made to include underrepresented groups, both in this research and in physics in general, through a mentoring program for female undergraduates.