Searches for Ultrahigh Energy Neutrinos with AMANDA

南极缪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从未探索过的宇宙之窗，它跨越了能量的许多数量级，在能量范围内，光和宇宙射线无法充当天文信使。在这些能量下，中微子是唯一能发挥这种作用的已知粒子，如果历史是我们的指南，阿曼达中微子望远镜--以及它计划中的继任者冰立方--对如此广阔的未被探索的天空区域前所未有的敏感性，将带来新的令人兴奋的发现。这一提议关注的是超高能中微子产生的一种特殊信号，这种信号被称为“级联”。级联基本上是由冰中的中微子相互作用产生的一个膨胀的光球。该信号具有更好地包含在探测器体积中的优点，因此更容易重建并与可能的背景区分。除了创造分析技术来发现阿曼达探测器中的级联信号外，我们还将努力校准探测器并升级其子系统，以增强其级联灵敏度。本科生和研究生将与博士后研究员、P.I.和其他人一起进行这项研究。将通过一个针对女本科生的辅导计划，共同努力将这项研究和整个物理学领域中代表性不足的群体包括在内。

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.