Leveraging Novel Complementary Variables to Boost the Sensitivity of Ultra High Energy Neutrino Experiments

超高能中微子是独特的天体物理信使，因为它们与中间物质只有微弱的相互作用，因此可以用来探测整个宇宙的高能来源和极端条件，并在标准模型以外的能量下测试物理。该奖项将支持俄亥俄州立大学的一个小组开发新技术和技术，通过中微子穿越致密冰时产生的无线电发射来研究高能中微子。该小组的工作重点是阿斯基恩无线电阵列(ARA)，这是一项位于南极南极站的实验。该小组邀请各个层次的学生参与研究活动。他们每年为高中女性举办两次研讨会，名为ASPIRE。通过这个奖项，他们将在项目中增加更多的研究项目，并为感兴趣的ASPIRE参与者介绍研究导师。俄亥俄州立大学将专注于新的战略和技术，以处理当前阿斯基恩射电中微子实验的信号，重点是ARA。该小组将研究信号的圆极化分量，以补充线性极化的电流测量，并探索时间和方向窗口的变化，以降低背景水平。他们将在现有数据集和新的ARA数据中进行敏感搜索，以寻找与冰立方天文台一致的探测。他们还将在中微子数据中寻找伽马射线爆发和引力波事件的证据。这一裁决反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Ultra-high-energy neutrinos are unique astrophysical messengers as they interact only weakly with intervening matter and can therefore be used to probe high energy sources and extreme conditions throughout the universe, and to test physics at energies beyond the Standard Model. This award will support a group at Ohio State University in their work to develop new technology and techniques to study high energy neutrinos through the radio emission generated as the neutrinos traverse dense ice. The group's effort focus on the Askaryan Radio Array (ARA), an experiment located at the South Pole Station in Antarctica. The group engages students at all levels in the research activities. They conduct a biannual workshop for high school women, ASPIRE. Through this award, they will add more research projects to the program and introduce research mentors for interested ASPIRE participants. The Ohio State group will focus on new strategies and techniques to process signals from current Askaryan radio neutrino experiments, with a focus on ARA. The group will study circularly polarized components of signals to complement current measurements of linear polarization and explore variations in time and directional windows to reduce background levels. They will carry out sensitive searches in existing data sets and in new ARA data for coincident detections with the IceCube observatory. They will also search for evidence of gamma-ray bursts as well as gravitational wave events in the neutrino data.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.