IceCube data analysis and detector upgrade developments

IceCube数据分析和探测器升级开发

• 批准号: SAPPJ-2020-00039
• 负责人: Moore, Roger
• 金额: $ 14.57万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Subatomic Physics Envelope - Project
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=741394
• 关键词: IceCube; data; analysis; detector; upgrade

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, located at South Pole Station Antarctica, is the world's largest neutrino detector. Optimized for neutrino energies between a few hundred GeV and tens of PeV, it is the premier facility for the study of high-energy neutrinos and indirect cosmological dark matter searches. In 2008 the original design for IceCube was augmented with a low-energy extension, called DeepCore, that reduced the threshold for the observatory to approximately 10 GeV and initiated an Antarctic-based particle physics program focused on neutrino oscillation measurements and indirect dark matter searches. The IceCube and DeepCore detector arrays are operating with greater than 99% efficiency and the data analyses are reaching full sensitivity with high impact results including world-leading indirect dark matter searches, globally competitive neutrino oscillation measurements and searches for new physics using high energy neutrino interactions. Building on these successes, the IceCube Upgrade was recently approved for funding. This adds seven strings of densely packed detectors that will greatly enhance the neutrino oscillation measurements and extend the indirect dark matter searches to lower masses. Future upgrade plans include IceCube-Gen2 which targets the highest energy neutrinos leading to greater sensitivity to new physics Beyond the Standard Model. The Canadian IceCube program is lead by five faculty members at the University of Alberta, Queen's University and Simon Fraser University. This is a leading group within the collaboration in all aspects of the on-going data analyses for the full energy range accessible by the detector. The group's activities include novel developments in calibrations, new reconstruction algorithms and advanced techniques in the Monte Carlo simulations, designed to reduce the primary detector systematic uncertainties. Our high-level physics analyses are primarily focused on measurements of atmospheric neutrino oscillations near 20 GeV, the atmospheric neutrino flux, indirect dark matter searches, and searches for new physics using high-energy neutrinos. Recognition by the international IceCube collaboration of the Canadian contributions has come through current appointments of Yanez as co-convener of the Neutrino Oscillations working group and Moore as the co-leader of the TFT board. In addition, our PDF Hignight co-convenes the Systematics and Reconstruction working group. Requested in the proposal is funding to maintain the current core IceCube analysis activities, to continue the development of the future detector upgrades. The current IceCube Canada groups include an NSERC supported postdoctoral fellow, 2 continuing PhD graduate students, 1 MSc student and 3 undergraduate researchers. Support for additional graduate and undergraduate researchers is requested as well as travel expenses, to facilitate the group's role in this unique international collaboration, and common fund contributions.

位于南极洲南极站的冰立方中微子天文台是世界上最大的中微子探测器。它针对几百GeV到几十PeV之间的中微子能量进行了优化，是研究高能中微子和间接宇宙学暗物质搜索的首要设施。在2008年，IceCube的原始设计增加了一个低能量的扩展，称为DeepCore，将观测站的阈值降低到大约10 GeV，并启动了一个基于量子力学的粒子物理计划，专注于中微子振荡测量和间接暗物质搜索。IceCube和DeepCore探测器阵列的工作效率超过99%，数据分析达到全灵敏度，结果具有很高的影响力，包括世界领先的间接暗物质搜索，具有全球竞争力的中微子振荡测量和使用高能中微子相互作用搜索新物理。在这些成功的基础上，IceCube升级最近获得了资金批准。这增加了七串密集的探测器，将大大增强中微子振荡测量，并将间接暗物质搜索扩展到较低质量。未来的升级计划包括IceCube-Gen 2，它的目标是最高能量的中微子，从而对标准模型之外的新物理学具有更高的灵敏度。加拿大冰立方项目由阿尔伯塔大学、皇后大学和西蒙弗雷泽大学的五名教员领导。这是一个领导小组，在对探测器可获得的全部能量范围进行数据分析的所有方面进行合作。该小组的活动包括校准方面的新发展、新的重建算法和蒙特卡罗模拟中的先进技术，旨在减少主要探测器系统的不确定性。我们的高级物理分析主要集中在测量20 GeV附近的大气中微子振荡，大气中微子通量，间接暗物质搜索以及使用高能中微子搜索新物理。国际IceCube合作对加拿大贡献的认可是通过目前任命Yanez为中微子振荡工作组的共同召集人和摩尔为TFT董事会的共同领导人。此外，我们的PDF Hignight共同召集系统学和重建工作组。提案中要求提供资金，以维持目前的核心冰立方分析活动，继续开发未来的探测器升级。目前的IceCube加拿大团队包括一名NSERC支持的博士后研究员，2名继续博士研究生，1名硕士生和3名本科生研究员。支持更多的研究生和本科生的研究人员，以及旅费，以促进该集团在这一独特的国际合作和共同基金捐款的作用。