IceCube data analysis and detector upgrade developments

冰立方中微子天文台位于南极南极站，是世界上最大的中微子探测器。它针对大约几百GeV到数十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暗物质搜索的首选设施。2008年，冰立方的原始设计增加了名为DeepCore的低能量扩展部分，将天文台的门槛降低到约10 GeV，并启动了一个以南极为基础的粒子物理计划，专注于中微子振荡测量和间接暗物质搜索。冰立方和DeepCore的分析现在达到了完全敏感的程度，并显示出重大影响，结果包括发现了第一个高能天体物理中微子通量，世界领先的间接暗物质搜索，以及具有全球竞争力的中微子振荡测量。在这些成功的基础上，合作正在开始开发对IceCube的低能(Pingu)和高能扩展，以实现中微子质量等级的基本测量，并确定最高能量中微子的来源。加拿大冰立方项目由6名教职员工领导，包括格兰特教授(Pi)、科珀教授(从2014年10月开始担任助理教授)、艾伯塔大学的克劳斯、摩尔和平福尔德教授以及多伦多大学的克拉克教授。这是加拿大在低能量计划所有方面的合作中公认的领导小组，包括校准方面的新进展，旨在减少主探测器的系统不确定性，Kopper的加入扩大了加拿大在高能中微子测量领域的合作领导地位。该小组的高层物理分析主要集中在20GeV附近大气中微子振荡的测量、大气中微子通量、间接暗物质搜索以及高能中微子源的识别。这一国际合作认可了加拿大的贡献，任命Pi Grant为Pingu的联合召集人，Clark为Pingu模拟协调员，Kopper为高能延长线设计的主要贡献者。在这份SAP项目发现赠款中，我们请求提供资金，以维持目前的核心冰立方分析活动，继续开发Pingu探测器，并调查高能扩展。目前的IceCube加拿大小组包括一名由NSERC支持的博士后研究员，2名继续博士研究生和3名本科生。将要求增加一名博士后研究员以及额外的研究生和本科生研究人员。还包括差旅费用，以促进该集团在这一独特的国际合作中发挥作用，以及共同基金捐款。

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 analyses are now reaching full sensitivity and are demonstrating significant impact with results including the discovery of the first high-energy astrophysical neutrino flux, world-leading indirect dark matter searches, and globally competitive neutrino oscillation measurements. Building on these successes, the collaboration is beginning to develop low-energy (PINGU) and high-energy extensions to IceCube to achieve fundamental measurements of the neutrino mass hierarchy and identify the sources of the highest energy neutrinos. The Canadian IceCube program is lead by 6 faculty members, including Professors Grant (PI), Kopper (Assistant Professor starting October 2014), Krauss, Moore and Pinfold at the University of Alberta and Clark at the University of Toronto. This is a recognized leading group within the collaboration in all aspects of the low-energy program, including novel developments in calibrations, designed to reduce the primary detector systematic uncertainties, and the addition of Kopper extends Canada’s leadership in the collaboration to the high-energy neutrino measurements. The group's 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 identification of high-energy neutrino sources. Recognition by this international collaboration of the Canadian contributions has come through appointment of PI Grant as co-convenor for PINGU, Clark as PINGU simulation coordinator and Kopper as the lead contributor to the design of the high-energy extension. In this SAP Project Discovery Grant we request the funding to maintain the current core IceCube analysis activities, to continue the development of the PINGU detector and to investigate the high-energy extension. The current IceCube Canada groups include a NSERC supported postdoctoral research fellow, 2 continuing PhD graduate students and 3 undergraduate researchers. Support for an additional postdoctoral fellow, and additional graduate and undergraduate researchers will be requested. Also included are travel expenses, to facilitate the group's role in this unique international collaboration, and common fund contributions.