More Like this

1. Simulation and sensitivities for a phased IceCube-Gen2 deployment

   https://doi.org/10.22323/1.395.1186  

   Abbasi, Rasha ; Ackermann, Markus ; Adams, Jenni ; Aguilar, Juanan ; Ahlers, M. ; Ahrens, Maryon ; Alispach, Cyril Martin ; Allison, Patrick ; Alves Junior, Antonio Augusto ; Amin, Najia Moureen ; et al ( March 2022 , 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2021))

   The IceCube Neutrino Observatory opened the window on high-energy neutrino astronomy by confirming the existence of PeV astrophysical neutrinos and identifying the first compelling astrophysical neutrino source in the blazar TXS0506+056. Planning is underway to build an enlarged detector, IceCube-Gen2, which will extend measurements to higher energies, increase the rate of observed cosmic neutrinos and provide improved prospects for detecting fainter sources. IceCube-Gen2 is planned to have an extended in-ice optical array, a radio array at shallower depths for detecting ultra-high-energy (>100 PeV) neutrinos, and a surface component studying cosmic rays. In this contribution, we will discuss the simulation of the in-ice optical component of the baseline design of the IceCube-Gen2 detector, which foresees the deployment of an additional ~120 new detection strings to the existing 86 in IceCube over ~7 Antarctic summer seasons. Motivated by the phased construction plan for IceCube-Gen2, we discuss how the reconstruction capabilities and sensitivities of the instrument are expected to progress throughout its deployment. 

   more » « less
2. The IceCube-Gen2 Neutrino Observatory

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/16/10/C10007  

   Clark, B.A. ( October 2021 , Journal of Instrumentation)

   Abstract The IceCube Neutrino Observatory opened the window on neutrino astronomy by discovering high-energy astrophysical neutrinos in 2013 and identifying the first compelling astrophysical neutrino source, the blazar TXS0506 + 056, in 2017. In this proceeding, we will discuss the science reach and ongoing development of the IceCube-Gen2 facility, which is the planned extension to IceCube. IceCube-Gen2 will increase the rate of observed cosmic neutrinos by an order of magnitude, be able to detect five-times fainter neutrino sources, and extend the measurement of astrophysical neutrinos several orders of magnitude higher in energy. We will discuss the envisioned design of the instrument, which will include an enlarged in-ice optical array, a surface array for the study of cosmic-rays, and a shallow radio array to detect ultra-high energy (>100 PeV) neutrinos. We will also highlight ongoing efforts to develop and test new instrumentation for IceCube-Gen2. 

   more » « less
3. New approaches for gamma-hadron separation at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

   https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202328004004  

   Bontempo, Federico ( January 2023 , EPJ Web of Conferences)

   Capone, A. ; De Vincenzi, M. ; Morselli, A. (Ed.)

   The IceCube Neutrino Observatory located at the geographic South Pole is composed of two detectors. One is the in-ice optical array, which measures high-energy muons from air showers and charged particles produced by the interaction of high-energy neutrinos in the ice. The other is an array of ice-Cherenkov tanks at the surface, called IceTop, which is used both as veto for the in-ice neutrino measurements and for detecting cosmic-ray air showers. In the next decade, the IceCube-Gen2 extension will increase the surface coverage including surface radio antennas and scintillator panels on the footprint of an extended optical array in the ice. The combination of the current surface and in-ice detectors can be exploited for the study of cosmic rays and the search for PeV gamma rays. The in-ice detector measures the high-energy muonic component of air showers, whereas the signal in IceTop is dominated by the electromagnetic component. The relative size of the muonic and electromagnetic components is different for gamma-and hadron-induced air showers. Thus, the gamma-hadron separation of cosmic rays is attempted using machine learning techniques including deep learning. Here, different approaches are presented. Finally, the prospects for the detection of PeV photons with IceCube-Gen2 will be discussed. 

   more » « less
4. Reconstructing the neutrino energy for in-ice radio detectors: A study for the Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G)

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-022-10034-4  

   Aguilar, J. A. ; Allison, P. ; Beatty, J. J. ; Bernhoff, H. ; Besson, D. ; Bingefors, N. ; Botner, O. ; Bouma, S. ; Buitink, S. ; Carter, K. ; et al ( February 2022 , The European Physical Journal C)

   Since summer 2021, the Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G) is searching for astrophysical neutrinos at energies$${>10}$$$>10$ PeV by detecting the radio emission from particle showers in the ice around Summit Station, Greenland. We present an extensive simulation study that shows how RNO-G will be able to measure the energy of such particle cascades, which will in turn be used to estimate the energy of the incoming neutrino that caused them. The location of the neutrino interaction is determined using the differences in arrival times between channels and the electric field of the radio signal is reconstructed using a novel approach based on Information Field Theory. Based on these properties, the shower energy can be estimated. We show that this method can achieve an uncertainty of 13% on the logarithm of the shower energy after modest quality cuts and estimate how this can constrain the energy of the neutrino. The method presented in this paper is applicable to all similar radio neutrino detectors, such as the proposed radio array of IceCube-Gen2.

    

   more » « less
5. Latest Cosmic Ray Results from IceTop and IceCube

   https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201921003005  

   Andeen, Karen ; Plum, Matthias ; Lhenry-Yvon, I. ; Biteau, J. ; Deligny, O. ; Ghia, P. ( January 2019 , EPJ Web of Conferences)

   The IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the geographic South Pole, with its surface array IceTop, detects three different components of extensive air showers: the total signal at the surface, low energy muons on the periphery of the showers, and high energy muons in the deep In Ice array of IceCube. These measurements enable determination of the energy spectrum and composition of cosmic rays from PeV to EeV energies, the anisotropy in the distribution of cosmic ray arrival directions, the muon density of cosmic ray air showers, and the PeV gamma-ray flux. Furthermore, IceTop can be used as a veto for the neutrino measurements. The latest results from these IceTop analyses will be presented along with future plans. 

   more » « less