Collaborative Research: 2016-2019 Development of the Askaryan Radio Array Ultra-High Energy Neutrino Detector at the South Pole

合作研究：2016-2019年南极Askaryan射电阵列超高能中微子探测器的研制

• 批准号: 1404289
• 负责人: Dave Besson
• 金额: $ 16.26万
• 依托单位: University of Kansas Center for Research Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404289&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; 2016; 2019; Development

Ultra-high-energy neutrinos are unique astrophysical messengers that interact weakly with intervening matter and can therefore be used to probe the distant universe. A small but theoretically observable flux of these ultra-high-energy neutrinos is expected to be produced by the interaction between high-energy "cosmic ray" charged particles and cosmic microwave background photons as the cosmic rays travel through the Universe. Observing these cosmogenic neutrinos would allow physicists to begin to study physics at energies beyond the standard models. The large volume of radio transparent ice covering the geographic South Pole in Antarctica has hosted several pioneering efforts to detect these high energies neutrinos using a radio Cherenkov "Askaryan effect." The Askaryan effect describes the process by which ultra-high-energy neutrinos traversing the dense polar ice generate observable radio waves. The Askaryan Radio Array (ARA), located at the South Pole Station, was designed to exploit this phenomenon to first detect and ultimately study these ultra-high-energy neutrinos. This award provides funding to deploy two more ARA stations to the existing suite of three stations, and to continue observations. The award will support the involvement of students, including undergraduate students, who will be engaged in on-site activities at the South Pole. It will also support outreach efforts including activities with QuarkNet.ARA is designed to be implemented in phases. During the initial phase the ARA project deployed a testbed and three full stations that used equipment designed and built for the co-located IceCube Neutrino Observatory. With this award the project will deploy two more stations and continue observations with all stations to demonstrate the technology, accumulate knowledge about radio frequency properties of the upper layers of the ice sheet at South Pole, and develop reliable hardware and software for deployable in-ice stations in the future.

超高能中微子是独特的天体物理信使，与介入物质的相互作用很弱，因此可以用来探测遥远的宇宙。 当宇宙射线穿越宇宙时，高能“宇宙射线”带电粒子和宇宙微波背景光子之间的相互作用预计会产生少量但理论上可观察到的超高能中微子通量。观测到这些宇宙成因的中微子将使物理学家开始研究能量超过标准模型的物理学。覆盖在南极洲地理南极的大量无线电透明冰已经主持了几次开创性的努力，使用无线电切伦科夫“阿斯卡里安效应来探测这些高能中微子。“Askaryan效应描述了超高能中微子穿越密集的极地冰产生可观测无线电波的过程。 位于南极站的Askaryan射电阵列（ARA）旨在利用这一现象首先探测并最终研究这些超高能中微子。 该奖项提供资金，以部署两个以上的ARA站到现有的三个站套件，并继续观察。 该奖项将支持包括本科生在内的学生参与南极现场活动。 它还将支持外展工作，包括与QuarkNet的活动。ARA旨在分阶段实施。 在初始阶段，ARA项目部署了一个试验台和三个完整的台站，这些台站使用了为位于同一地点的IceCube中微子天文台设计和建造的设备。 有了这笔合同，该项目将再部署两个台站，并继续对所有台站进行观测，以展示该技术，积累有关南极冰盖上层无线电频率特性的知识，并为未来可部署的冰中台站开发可靠的硬件和软件。