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1. Cosmic ray measurements with IceCube and IceTop

   https://doi.org/10.21468/SciPostPhysProc.13.002  

   Soldin, Dennis (January 2023, SciPost Physics Proceedings)

   IceCube is a cubic-kilometer Cherenkov detector in the deep ice at the geographic South Pole. The dominant event yield in the deep ice detector consists of penetrating atmospheric muons with energies above approximately 300 GeV, produced in cosmic ray air showers. In addition, the surface array, IceTop, measures the electromagnetic component and GeV muons of air showers. Hence, IceCube and IceTop yield unique opportunities to study cosmic rays with unprecedented statistics in great detail. We will present recent results of comic ray measurements from IceCube and IceTop. In this overview, we will highlight measurements of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays from 250 TeV up to the EeV range and their mass composition above 3 PeV. We will also report recent results from measurements of the muon content in air showers and discuss their consistency with predictions from current hadronic interaction models. 

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2. Muons in air showers with IceCube: muon density at ground and high-energy muon multiplicity

   https://doi.org/10.22323/1.484.0035  

   Verpoest, Stef; IceCube-Collaboration, for the (March 2025, Sissa Medialab)

   Various measurements of muons in air showers using ground-based particle detector arrays have indicated a discrepancy between observed data and predictions from simulations. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory can offer unique insights into this issue. Its surface array, IceTop, measures the muon density at large lateral distances, while the deep in-ice detector provides information on high-energy muons. Recent analyses have determined the surface muon density and the high-energy (Eμ≳ 500 GeV) muon multiplicity in near-vertical air showers for primary energies ranging from 2.5 PeV to 100 PeV. In this contribution, we present the results and discuss their consistency with predictions from current hadronic interaction models. 

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3. 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. 

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4. 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. 

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5. Measurements of Cosmic Ray Mass Composition with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

   https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202328302007  

   Plum, Matthias (January 2023, EPJ Web of Conferences)

   De Mitri, I.; Barbato, F.C.T.; Boncioli, D.; Evoli, C.; Pagliaroli, G.; Salamida, F. (Ed.)

   The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a multi-component detector at the South Pole. Besides studying high-energy neutrinos, it is capable of measuring high-energy cosmic rays from PeV to EeV. This energy region is thought to cover the transition from galactic to extragalactic sources of cosmic rays. The observatory consists of the deep in-ice IceCube array, which measures the high-energy (≥500 GeV) muonic component, and the IceTop surface array, which is sensitive to the electromagnetic and low-energy muonic part of an air shower. The primary energy and the mass composition can be measured simultaneously by applying statistical methods including modern machine-learning techniques to reconstruct cosmic ray air showers. In this contribution, we will discuss recent improvements to the reconstruction techniques, the mass composition sensitivity, and an outlook on future improved measurements with the full surface scintillator/radio array to mitigate snow accumulation and measure the air shower maximum X max using imaging air-Cherenkov telescopes IceAct. 

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