Search for Tau Neutrinos in IceCube Data

在 IceCube 数据中搜索 Tau 中微子

• 批准号: 1607233
• 负责人: Dawn Williams
• 金额: $ 45.7万
• 依托单位: University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
• 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: 2016-08-15 至 2020-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1607233&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Search; Tau; Neutrinos; IceCube; Data

Embedded deep in the ice cap at the South Pole, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory (ICNO) is the world's largest and most sensitive high energy neutrino telescope. It is a 1 billion-ton detector using the Antarctic ice as a detection medium for high energy atmospheric and astrophysical neutrinos. Most of the neutrinos observed by IceCube exhibit energies in the range expected for atmospheric neutrinos originating from decays of particles produced in extensive air showers by cosmic rays coming from nearby sectors of the Milky Way Galaxy. These may be used to measure the fundamental properties of neutrinos. At higher energies, astrophysical neutrinos are key probes of the high-energy universe. Because of their unique properties, neutrinos escape even dense regions, are not deflected by galactic or extra-galactic magnetic fields and traverse the photon-filled universe unhindered. Thus, neutrinos provide direct information about the dynamics and interiors of the powerful cosmic objects that may be the origins of high energy cosmic rays: supernovae, black holes, pulsars, active galactic nuclei and other extreme extragalactic phenomena. This award provides funding for the University of Alabama (UA) group to search for a particular type ("flavor") of neutrino, the tau neutrino, in the IceCube data. Tau neutrinos have a negligible background from the atmosphere and would be a certain sign of astrophysical origin as well as offering insight into neutrino physics and oscillation in distant sources.The PI will continue and enhance high school outreach by hosting an IceCube Masterclass: a one day event which gives high school students the chance to work with real IceCube data. The PI will develop a new Masterclass activity based on the UA group's tau neutrino research. The PI participates in public outreach activities that highlight IceCube's unique location and science goals.If the astrophysical neutrino flux arises from pion decay as a result of cosmic ray acceleration in shocks, and assuming standard neutrino oscillation parameters, the detected neutrinos at Earth should consist of equal fractions of electron, muon and tau neutrinos. However, tau neutrinos have yet to be unambiguously identified in the astrophysical neutrino flux. The group will build on a proven track record in the tau neutrino channel and extend the search to lower energies and to previously unexplored signatures. With three more years of IceCube data, lower energy thresholds and increased signal sensitivity, tau neutrinos could be detectable by the end of the funding period.

Icecube中微子天文台（ICNO）嵌入了南极的冰盖深处，是世界上最大，最敏感的高能量中微子望远镜。它是使用南极冰作为高能量大气和天体中微子的检测介质的10亿吨检测器。 Icecube观察到的大多数中微子表现出对大气中微子的预期范围，这些中微子源自来自银河系银河系附近地区的宇宙射线在广泛的空气淋浴中产生的颗粒衰变。这些可用于测量中微子的基本特性。在较高的能量下，天体中微子是高能量宇宙的关键探针。由于其独特的特性，中微子逃脱了甚至密集的区域，也不会被银河系或半乳酸外磁场偏转，而是不受阻碍的光子填充宇宙穿越。因此，中微子提供了有关强大宇宙物体的动力学和内部的直接信息，这可能是高能宇宙射线的起源：超新星，黑洞，脉冲星，活跃的银河系核和其他极端的外乳术现象。该奖项为阿拉巴马大学（UA）小组提供了资金，以在Icecube数据中搜索中微子Tau Neutrino的特定类型（“风味”）。 Tau Neutminos的大气背景可以忽略不计，这将是天体物理起源的一定迹象，并在远处提供中微子物理学和振荡的洞察力。PI将继续并增强高中外展，并通过举办ICECUBE大师班：为高中生提供一场高中生的机会，从而为高中生提供了与实际Icecube数据一起工作的机会。 PI将根据UA集团的TAU中微子研究开发新的大师班活动。 PI参加了公共外展活动，突出了IceCube独特的位置和科学目标。然而，在天体中微子通量中，tau中微子尚未明确鉴定。该小组将建立在Tau Neutmino频道中的可靠记录上，并将搜索扩展到较低的能量，并扩展到以前未开发的签名。借助三年的ICECUBE数据，较低的能量阈值和提高信号灵敏度，可以在资金期结束时检测到Tau中微子。