IceCube and the discovery of high energy neutrinos from extraterrestrial sources
by
Tom Gaisser(University of Delaware Department of Physics and Astronomy)
→
Europe/Rome
Aula Conversi (Dip. di Fisica - Edificio G. Marconi)
Aula Conversi
Dip. di Fisica - Edificio G. Marconi
Description
IceCube is a kilometer scale detector at the South Pole consisting of 5400 optical sensors that detect cosmic rays and neutrinos. The main array is shielded by 1.5 km of ice so that it can identify and reconstruct events generated by neutrinos, which are relatively rare compared to the background of atmospheric muons and neutrinos.
IceCube recently discovered the first evidence for neutrinos of high energy from extraterrestrial sources. In this talk I will describe the data and explain the significance of such a discovery. I will also describe how IceCube measures the spectrum of cosmic-ray particles and their relation to the neutrinos.
