Tuning in on the cosmic rays of the highest energy - searching for GZK-neutrinos with ARIANNA

超高能宇宙射线是目前已知能量最高的粒子，其来源一直难以捉摸。搜索并不是直截了当的，因为带电粒子在地球上被检测到之前，在从天文源出发的途中被银河和星系间磁场偏转。此外，它们的通量极低。在通量谱的高能量端，观察到与宇宙射线与宇宙微波背景相互作用有关的截止; GZK效应。在这种相互作用中产生了中微子，即GZK中微子。当它们沿直线传播时，它们将指向难以捉摸的来源。由于检测到中微子的可能性非常低，因此需要大量的检测器。在这里，利用冰中的无线电发射是一种很有前途的方法。这种方法允许人们以低成本对大面积区域进行仪器测量，这些区域能够检测到中微子在南极洲大冰块中相互作用产生的微弱无线电信号。研究人员建议加入ARIANNA实验，该实验将利用低成本天线阵列的潜力来检测GZK中微子。她将在数据分析工具的设计和实施中发挥关键作用，并为有关低功耗、快速微波电子学和探测器站自主发电的知识转让做出贡献。GZK中微子的探测（或未探测）将显著影响目前对宇宙射线加速的理解。

The sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, the particles of the highest energy currently known, have been elusive. The search is not straight forward, as the charged particles are deflected by Galactic and Intergalactic magnetic fields on their way from an astronomical source before detection on Earth. Also, their flux is extremely low. At the high-energy end of the flux spectrum a cut-off is observed that is associated with an interaction of the cosmic rays with the cosmic microwave background; the GZK-effect. In this interaction neutrinos are created, the GZK-neutrinos. As these travel in straight lines, they will point back to the elusive sources.Since the probability of detecting neutrinos is very low, large detector volumes are needed. Here, the usage of radio emission in ice is a promising method. This method allows one to instrument large areas at low costs that are able to detect the faint radio signal that a neutrino interacting in the large ice volume of Antarctica will generate.The researcher proposes to join the ARIANNA experiment that will exploit the potential of low-cost antenna arrays to detect GZK-neutrinos. She will play a key-role in the design and implementation of the data-analysis tools and contribute in a knowledge transfer about low-power consumption, fast microwave electronics and autonomous power generation for detector stations.The detection (or non-detection) of GZK-neutrinos will significantly influence the current understanding of cosmic ray acceleration.