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

超高能(UHE)宇宙中微子(高于10^18电子伏特)将是地球上可以观察到的最遥远和最高能量的粒子，动机良好的模型将它们放在目前资助的实验范围内。该奖项的学术价值部分围绕两个概念组织：1.实现UHE中微子天文台的最佳灵敏度；2.使UHE中微子转向并开发其天体物理和粒子物理潜力。该奖项的关键内容基于代表该领域发现和开发阶段的两项实验：ANITA是一项南极气球载实验，其第三次飞行已获批准；以及ARA，一种部署在南极附近的冰中阵列。ARA的目标是利用射电切伦科夫辐射(阿斯基恩效应)。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，该计划通过在每个阶段进行模拟、仪器、数据分析和优化事件选择，包括硬件和软件活动：1.模拟开发侧重于使模拟成为数据框架的一部分，并使用数据来校准模拟。2.由于利用她的模拟优化了新颖的新触发器设计，提高了实验的灵敏度。3.开发仪器以提高灵敏度，并为模拟和分析确定系统部件的特征。更广泛的影响：该奖项还将资助一个外展项目，将已建立的中学GRAP(女孩在体育和物理领域实现)暑期科学夏令营与该系的本科生项目联系起来。这项新计划名为“桥梁”(将研究、想法和数据汇聚在一起，让女孩们在科学上脱颖而出)。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，包括俄亥俄州立大学在内的几所大学为女孩举办夏令营，目标是准确的年龄范围。很少有这样的项目，即使有的话，也很少有这样的项目，旨在让他们在高中和大学期间保持对科学的兴趣。新的桥梁项目将激发女高中生对物理的兴趣，向她们介绍当前的研究，给她们实践经验，并在这一重要阶段指导她们。

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.