Particle theory

Abstract:

The IceCube-Gen2 facility will extend the energy range of IceCube to ultra-high energies. The key component to detect neutrinos with energies above 10 PeV is a large array of in-ice radio detectors. In previous work, direction reconstruction algorithms using the forward-folding technique have been developed for both shallow (≲ 20 m) and deep in-ice detectors, and have also been successfully used to reconstruct cosmic rays with ARIANNA. Here, we focus on the reconstruction algorithm for the deep in-ice detector, which was recently introduced in the context of the Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G). We discuss the performance-critical aspects of the algorithm, as well as recent and future improvements, and apply it to study the performance of a station of the IceCube-Gen2 in-ice radio array. We obtain the angular resolution, which turns out to be strongly asymmetric, and use this to optimize the configuration of a single station.

Abstract:

The evidence for multi-messenger photon and neutrino emission from the blazar TXS 0506+056 has demonstrated the importance of realtime follow-up of neutrino events by various ground- and space-based facilities. The effort of H.E.S.S. and other experiments in coordinating observations to obtain quasi-simultaneous multiwavelength flux and spectrum measurements has been critical in measuring the chance coincidence with the high-energy neutrino event IC-170922A and constraining theoretical models. For about a decade, the H.E.S.S. transient program has included a search for gamma-ray emission associated with high-energy neutrino alerts, looking for gammaray activity from known sources and newly detected emitters consistent with the neutrino location. In this contribution, we present an overview of follow-up activities for realtime neutrino alerts with H.E.S.S. in 2021 and 2022. Our analysis includes both public IceCube neutrino alerts and alerts exchanged as part of a joint H.E.S.S.-IceCube program. We focus on interesting coincidences observed with gamma-ray sources, particularly highlighting the significant detection of PKS 0625-35, an AGN previously detected by H.E.S.S., and three IceCube neutrinos.

Abstract:

We report on an analysis of the high-energy muon component in near-vertical extensive air showers detected by the surface array IceTop in coincidence with the in-ice array of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. In the coincidence measurement, the predominantly electromagnetic signal measured by IceTop is used to estimate the cosmic-ray primary energy, and the energy loss of the muon bundle in the deep in-ice array is used to estimate the number of muons in the shower with energies above 500 GeV ("TeV muons"). The average multiplicity of these TeV muons is determined for cosmic-ray energies between 2.5 PeV and 100 PeV assuming three different hadronic interaction models: Sibyll 2.1, QGSJet-II.04, and EPOS-LHC. For all models considered, the results are found to be in good agreement with the expectations from simulations. A tension exists, however, between the high-energy muon multiplicity and other observables; most importantly the density of GeV muons measured by IceTop using QGSJet-II.04 and EPOS-LHC.

Abstract:

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) will be the next-generation observatory in the field of very-high-energy (20 GeV to 300 TeV) gamma-ray astroparticle physics. The traditional approach to data analysis in this field is to apply quality cuts, optimized using Monte Carlo simulations, on the data acquired to maximize sensitivity. Subsequent steps of the analysis typically use the surviving events to calculate one set of instrument response functions (IRFs) to physically interpret the results. However, an alternative approach is the use of event types, as implemented in experiments such as the Fermi-LAT. This approach divides events into sub-samples based on their reconstruction quality, and a set of IRFs is calculated for each sub-sample. The sub-samples are then combined in a joint analysis, treating them as independent observations. In previous works we demonstrated that event types, classified using Machine Learning methods according to their expected angular reconstruction quality, have the potential to significantly improve the CTA angular and energy resolution of a point-like source analysis. Now, we validated the production of event-type wise full-enclosure IRFs, ready to be used with science tools (such as Gammapy and ctools). We will report on the impact of using such an event-type classification on CTA high-level performance, compared to the traditional procedure.

Abstract:

Astrophysical transient events like Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) have always been promising candidates for multi-messenger astronomy, with electromagnetic and gravitational wave signals having already been observed in GRBs such as GRB 170817A. The neutrino signatures of these bursts have been long-awaited as well, with many models predicting different spectra. Most of these searches have been in the hundreds of GeV to PeV range. However, as different models indicate a possible lower energy neutrino signal, we intend to expand this search to the lowest limits of IceCube (0.5-5 GeV) as well. With the plan to look at more transient events, we present the result of the first IceCube search for < 5 GeV astrophysical neutrinos emitted from a GRB, for GRB 221009A; the brightest GRB ever observed. Furthermore, we present plans to improve the observations of < 5 GeV neutrinos in IceCube, with which we plan to probe more transient events in the future. These improvements include the addition of direction reconstruction at these energies, and optimization of the noise rejection. With these improvements, GRB 221009A is just the start of the low-energy neutrino search from transient events with IceCube.