CAREER: Maximizing the Science Output of Ultra High Energy Neutrino Telescopes

超高能量（UHE）宇宙中微子（超过10^18电子伏特）将是地球上可以观测到的最遥远、能量最大的粒子，良好的模型将它们置于目前资助的实验范围内。该奖项的智力价值部分是围绕两个概念组织的：1。实现UHE中微子天文台的最佳灵敏度和2。控制UHE中微子并开发它们的天体物理和粒子物理潜力。该奖项的关键要素是基于代表该领域发现和开发阶段的两个实验：ANITA，南极气球载实验，已批准第三次飞行，ARA，部署在南极附近的冰内阵列。ARA的目标是利用无线电切伦科夫辐射（阿斯卡扬效应）。康诺利将通过一个广泛的计划来扩大搜索UHE中微子的潜力，该计划通过模拟、仪器、数据分析和优化每个阶段的事件选择来执行，包括硬件和软件活动：1。仿真开发的重点是使仿真成为数据框架的一部分，并使用数据来校准仿真。2. 由于新颖的触发器设计优化了她的模拟，提高了实验的灵敏度。3. 开发仪器，以提高灵敏度和表征系统组件的模拟和分析。更广泛的影响：该奖项还将资助一项推广计划，将已建立的中学GRASP（女孩在体育和物理方面取得成就）暑期科学营与该系的本科课程联系起来。这个新项目被称为BRIDGES（将研究、想法和数据汇集在一起，让女孩在科学上脱颖而出）。许多项目旨在保持中学年龄的女孩（6-8年级）对数学和科学的兴趣，包括俄勒冈州立大学在内的一些大学针对这个年龄段的女孩开办了暑期科学营。很少有这样的项目是为了在高中和大学期间保持学生对科学的兴趣。新的BRIDGES项目将通过向女高中生介绍当前的研究，并在这一重要阶段为她们提供实践经验和指导，激发她们对物理的兴趣。

Ultra-High Energy (UHE) cosmic neutrinos (above 10^18 electron-Volts) would be the most distant and energetic particles that can be observed on earth, and well motivated models put them within reach of currently funded experiments. The Intellectual Merit portion of this award is organized around two concepts: 1. Achieving the Best Sensitivity for UHE Neutrino Observatories; and 2. Cornering UHE Neutrinos and Exploiting their Astrophysics and Particle Physics Potential. The key elements of this award are based on two experiments representing the discovery and exploitation phases of the field: ANITA, an Antarctic, balloon-borne experiment with its third flight approved, and ARA, an in-ice array being deployed near the South Pole. ARA aims to exploit radio Cherenkov emissions (Askaryan effect). Connolly will expand the potential of searches for UHE neutrinos through a broad program that is carried out through simulations, instrumentation, data analysis, and optimization of event selection at every stage, including both hardware and software activities: 1. Simulation development focused on making simulations part of the data framework and using data to calibrate the simulations. 2. Improved sensitivity of experiments due to novel new trigger designs optimized with her simulations. 3. Developing instrumentation to improve sensitivities and characterizing system components for simulations and analysis. Broader impacts: The award will also fund an outreach program that bridges the established middle school GRASP (Girls Reaching to Achieve in Sports and Physics) summer science camp with the undergraduate program in the department. The new program is called BRIDGES (Bringing together Research, Ideas and Data for Girls to Excel in Science). Many programs aim to keep middle school aged girls (grades 6-8) interested in math and science, and a few universities, including OSU, run summer science camps for girls targeting that precise age range. Few if any such programs follow up with a program aimed at maintaining their interest in science throughout their high school years and into college. The new BRIDGES program will pique the interest of female high school students in physics by introducing them to current research and giving them hands-on experiences and mentoring them during this important phase.