CAREER: Cosmic Ray Composition across Five Decades in Energy (50 TeV to 5 EeV) with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

职业：利用 IceCube 中微子天文台研究能源领域五个十年的宇宙射线成分（50 TeV 至 5 EeV）

• 批准号: 2146511
• 负责人: Karen Andeen
• 金额: $ 86.08万
• 依托单位: Marquette University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-04-01 至 2027-03-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2146511&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Cosmic; Ray; Composition; across

This award is funded in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2)For more than 100 years we have known that cosmic rays constantly bombard our atmosphere and affect our daily lives on Earth. Cosmic rays are thought to be produced in the far reaches of the universe in some of the most violent observed astrophysical processes. Yet key information regarding the processes of cosmic ray creation, acceleration, and propagation through the universe is lacking. However, candidate theoretical models have been developed that make testable predictions about cosmic ray parameters that are observable at Earth. To test these models, precise and accurate experimental measurements of the individual elemental spectra of cosmic rays are needed from a single observatory across a wide range in energy. This project seeks to advance knowledge of the energy-dependent cosmic ray composition in an important energy range that will connect direct methods of observation with indirect methods. Direct methods include experiments that measure the cosmic ray particles with a relatively high degree of precision. Indirect methods include experiments that measure the interactions of cosmic ray particles with either the atmosphere or ice deep below the South Pole. Indirect methods are more likely to record many more and much higher energy interactions than direct methods. These higher energy interactions are of continuing scientific interest to understand the highest energy astrophysical sources of the cosmic rays. The current understanding of the energy-dependent cosmic ray composition has large uncertainties that will be reduced when the direct and indirect methods can be cross calibrated resulting in a significant advance in the field. The project will also focus on science education associated with cosmic particles, especially with historically under-represented groups in and around Milwaukee WI. In addition, the project will help improve intercultural competence (ICC) within the Principal Investigator's (PI's) university and within the scientific collaborations involved.The project will utilize three individual detector elements at the South Pole: IceAct (two recently deployed prototype air Cherenkov detectors), IceTop (near surface intra-ice optical sensors), and IceCube (deep ice cubic km array of optical sensors) with a goal to measure the cosmic ray composition over 5 decades of energy from ~50 TeV to ~5 EeV. Of particular technical note, this research will allow for event-by-event mass composition of interacting cosmic rays rather than treating data with a statistical approach. The proposal outlines three objectives, each leading to publication, divided into subtasks of research conducted by the Principal Investigator and a newly supported postdoctoral researcher. The research involves new simulation and the development of new data analytic tools and techniques. Objective 1 involves improving beyond a preliminary level the IceAct / IceCube reconstruction, calibration, and analysis towards an indirect measurement of the cosmic ray composition over the energy range that connects and allows comparisons with direct measurements by experiments that detect and precisely measure the cosmic particles. Objective 2 involves improving the PI's previous work on cosmic ray composition at higher energies using IceTop / IceCube with an increase of precision. Objective 3 is to determine the cosmic ray composition over the broad energy range using two methods: Combining the results of Objectives 1 and 2 and a combined global analysis of IceAct / IceTop / IceCube data and simulation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该奖项的部分资金来自2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）100多年来，我们已经知道宇宙射线不断轰击我们的大气层，影响我们在地球上的日常生活。宇宙射线被认为是在宇宙的遥远处产生的，在一些观测到的最剧烈的天体物理过程中。然而，关于宇宙射线产生、加速和在宇宙中传播的过程的关键信息仍然缺乏。然而，候选理论模型已经开发出来，可以对地球上可观测到的宇宙射线参数进行可测试的预测。为了测试这些模型，需要从一个单一的天文台在广泛的能量范围内对宇宙射线的单个元素光谱进行精确和准确的实验测量。该项目旨在增进对一个重要能量范围内依赖能量的宇宙射线构成的了解，这将把直接观测方法与间接方法联系起来。直接方法包括以相对较高的精度测量宇宙射线粒子的实验。间接方法包括测量宇宙射线粒子与南极深处的大气或冰的相互作用的实验。间接方法比直接方法更有可能记录更多和更高的能量相互作用。这些更高能量的相互作用对于理解宇宙射线的最高能量天体物理源具有持续的科学兴趣。目前对依赖能量的宇宙射线组成的理解具有很大的不确定性，当直接和间接方法可以交叉校准时，这种不确定性将减少，从而在该领域取得重大进展。该项目还将侧重于与宇宙粒子相关的科学教育，特别是与威斯康星州密尔沃基及其周围历史上代表性不足的群体。此外，该项目将有助于提高主要研究者所在大学和有关科学合作机构的跨文化能力。IceAct（两个最近部署的原型空气切伦科夫探测器），IceTop（近表面冰内光学传感器）和IceCube（深冰立方千米光学传感器阵列），其目标是测量能量从~50 TeV到~5 EeV的50年的宇宙射线成分。特别值得注意的是，这项研究将考虑相互作用的宇宙射线的逐事件质量组成，而不是用统计方法处理数据。该提案概述了三个目标，每个目标都导致出版，分为主要研究者和新支持的博士后研究人员进行的研究的子任务。该研究涉及新的模拟和新的数据分析工具和技术的开发。目标1涉及改进IceAct / IceCube的重建、校准和分析，使其超越初步水平，以间接测量整个能量范围内的宇宙射线成分，并与探测和精确测量宇宙粒子的实验的直接测量进行比较。目标2涉及改进PI先前使用IceTop / IceCube进行的关于更高能量宇宙线成分的工作，提高精度。目标3是使用两种方法确定宽能量范围内的宇宙射线成分：结合目标1和2的结果，以及对IceAct / IceTop / IceCube数据和模拟的综合全球分析。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Towards a cosmic ray composition measurement with the IceAct telescopes at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

使用 IceCube 中微子天文台的 IceAct 望远镜进行宇宙射线成分测量

• DOI: 10.22323/1.444.0237
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Pos proceedings of science
• 作者: Paul, Larissa;Bretz, Thomas;Hewitt, John W.;Zink, Adrian;Abbasi, Rasha;Ackermann, Markus;Adams, Jenni;Agarwalla, Sanjib Kumar;Aguilar, Juanan;Ahlers, Markus
• 通讯作者: Ahlers, Markus

Three-year performance of the IceAct telescopes at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

IceCube 中微子天文台 IceAct 望远镜的三年性能

• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Pos proceedings of science
• 作者: IceCube Collaboration