Analysis of IceCube Data at UW-Madison 2016-2019

埋藏在南极冰盖深处的冰立方中微子天文台(ICNO)是世界上最大、最灵敏的高能中微子望远镜。它是一个10亿吨重的探测器，使用南极冰层作为高能大气和天体物理中微子的探测介质。冰立方观测到的大多数中微子的能量都在大气中微子的预期范围内，这些中微子是由来自银河系附近扇区的宇宙射线在大范围的空气骤雨中产生的粒子衰变而产生的。这些可以用来测量中微子的基本性质。在较高能量下，天体物理中微子是研究高能宇宙的关键探测器。由于其独特的性质，中微子甚至可以逃脱密集区域，不受银河系或银河系外磁场的偏转，畅通无阻地穿越充满光子的宇宙。因此，中微子提供了关于强大宇宙物体的动力学和内部的直接信息，这些物体可能是高能宇宙射线的起源：超新星、黑洞、脉冲星、活动星系核和其他极端的河外现象。该奖项为威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的科学家提供资金，用于对冰立方中微子探测器获取的数据进行科学分析。对中微子振荡的研究，以及正在进行的宇宙中微子和高能光子到达方向之间的相关性研究，只是目前大量分析中的两项，这表明发现充其量只是在初始阶段。南极环境的神秘性和令人信服的冰立方科学是一个诱人的组合。冰立方的成果已经在多个层面上增进了对科技的理解，并激发了新一代美国科学家和工程师的创新能力。麦迪逊团队将继续为现有的教育和外展项目提供冰立方科学和资源，这些项目已经证明是成功的。该组织也是一项名为“宇宙是你的”的新项目的合作伙伴，该项目旨在让麦迪逊及其周围的拉美裔社区了解天文学和天体物理学方面的研究和STEM职业。位于冰立方探测器下半部分的密集仪器填充阵列DeepCore已将灵敏度门槛降低到10GeV。麦迪逊小组参与了专门针对DeepCore数据的分析技术的开发。它们将改进对大气振荡参数的测量。累积的宇宙中微子事件表明，低于100TeV的通量增强，这可能暗示了宇宙中微子光谱中的另一种成分。

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 scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the scientific analysis of data taken with the IceCube neutrino detector. The study of neutrino oscillations and the ongoing correlation studies between the arrival directions of cosmic neutrinos and high-energy photons are only two of a large range of current analyses, illustrating that discoveries are at best in initial stages.The mystique of the South Pole environment and the compelling science of IceCube are an alluring mix. IceCube results have already enhanced scientific and technological understanding on many levels and have inspired the innovative capacity of a new generation of American scientists and engineers. The Madison group will continue to make IceCube science and resources available to existing education and outreach programs with a proven record of success. The group is also a partner of a new program, called "El Universo es Tuyo" (the Universe is Yours), to engage the Hispanic community in and around Madison in learning about research and STEM careers in astronomy and astrophysics.DeepCore, a densely instrumented infill array in the bottom half of the IceCube detector, has lowered the sensitivity threshold to 10 GeV. The Madison group participates in the development of analysis techniques that specialize to DeepCore data. They will result in improved measurements of the atmospheric oscillation parameters. The accumulating cosmic neutrino events indicate an enhancement of the flux below 100 TeV that may hint at another component in the cosmic neutrino spectrum.