Analysis of IceCube Data at UW-Madison 2013-2016

该奖项将继续为IceCube中微子探测器采集的数据的科学分析提供资金。威斯康星州大学-麦迪逊小组为改进最终探测器配置的校准和分析软件，包括对冰的光学性质的理解进行重大改进，作出了广泛的努力，改进了仪器。IceCube在建造过程中探测到了超过30万个大气中微子，其中一些中微子的能量超过了加速器光束产生的中微子能量的三个数量级以上。DeepCore的建造是IceCube阵列的填充物，位于探测器下半部分的一个非常清晰的冰的显着仪器体积上，已经将阈值降低到10千兆电子伏（GeV）。这立即导致了在以前无法达到的能量下观察到大气中微子振荡，其统计显著性大于5个标准差。在能谱的另一端，随着IceCube有效面积的改进，测量已经达到了对银河系外宇宙射线与宇宙微波光子相互作用中产生的中微子通量的灵敏度，从而为揭示其来源创造了新的机会。冰立方的灵敏度已经达到了这样一个水平，从一般的论点来看，如果超新星遗迹和伽马射线爆发确实分别是银河系和河外宇宙射线的来源，它们就必须观测到这些物质。IceCube是一个独特的项目，激发了新一代美国科学家和工程师的创新能力。该组织的方法是将冰立方的科学和资源提供给现有的教育和推广计划，并取得了成功的记录。

This award will provide continued funding for the scientific analysis of data taken with the IceCube neutrino detector. Extensive efforts by the University of Wisconsin - Madison group towards improving the calibrations and the analysis software for the final detector configuration, including implementing significant refinements of the understanding of the optical properties of the ice, have resulted in an improved instrument. IceCube has detected more than 300,000 atmospheric neutrinos during construction, some with energies that exceed by more than three orders of magnitude the energies of those produced with accelerator beams. The construction of DeepCore, an infill of the IceCube array over a significant instrumented volume of very clear ice in the bottom half of the detector, has lowered the threshold to 10 Gigaelectronvolts (GeV). This immediately resulted in the observation of atmospheric neutrino oscillations at energies previously inaccessible with statistical significance greater than five standard deviations. On the other end of the energy spectrum, with IceCube's improved effective area, measurements have reached sensitivity to the flux of neutrinos produced in the interactions of extragalactic cosmic rays with cosmic microwave photons, thus creating a new opportunity to reveal their sources. IceCube's sensitivity has reached a level where, from general arguments, they must observe supernova remnants and gamma-ray bursts if these are indeed the sources of the galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays, respectively.Broader Impacts: IceCube results will enhance scientific and technological understanding on many levels through broad dissemination of the results and experiences. IceCube is in a unique class of projects that inspire the innovative capacity of a new generation of American scientists and engineers. The group's approach has been to make IceCube science and resources available to existing education and outreach programs with a proven record of success.