IceCube data analysis and detector upgrade developments

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。它的中微子能量在几百GeV到几十PeV之间，是研究高能中微子和间接宇宙暗物质搜索的首选设备。2008年，冰立方的原始设计被称为“深核”（DeepCore）的低能扩展部分所增强，它将观测站的阈值降低到大约10 GeV，并启动了一个以南极为基础的粒子物理项目，该项目专注于中微子振荡测量和间接暗物质搜索。IceCube和DeepCore的分析现在已经达到了完全的灵敏度，并显示出重大的影响，包括发现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，合作开始开发冰立方的低能（PINGU）和高能扩展，以实现中微子质量层次的基本测量，并确定最高能量中微子的来源。加拿大冰立方项目由6名教员领导，包括格兰特教授（PI）、Kopper教授（2014年10月开始担任助理教授）、阿尔伯塔大学的Krauss、Moore和Pinfold教授以及多伦多大学的Clark教授。这是一个公认的领导小组在合作的各个方面的低能计划，包括校准的新发展，旨在减少主探测器的系统不确定性，和Kopper的加入扩大了加拿大在合作的领导地位，以高能中微子的测量。该小组的高级物理分析主要集中在20 GeV附近大气中微子振荡的测量、大气中微子通量、间接暗物质搜索和高能中微子源的识别。通过任命PI Grant为PINGU的联合召集人，Clark为PINGU模拟协调员，Kopper为高能扩展设计的主要贡献者，加拿大的贡献得到了国际合作的认可。在本次SAP项目发现基金中，我们请求资金用于维持当前的冰立方核心分析活动，继续开发PINGU探测器并研究高能扩展。目前，冰立方加拿大研究小组包括一名NSERC支持的博士后研究员，两名在读博士研究生和三名本科生。要求增加一名博士后、研究生和本科生研究人员。还包括旅费，以促进该组织在这一独特的国际合作中的作用，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.