Acoustic detection of ultra-high energy neutrinos
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Understanding the origin and evolution of cosmic accelerators by measuring ultra-high energy cosmic rays is one of the main goals of astroparticle physics. UHE neutrinos are thought to be better indicators of cosmic accelerators since they travel from their source undeflected by magnetic fields and unimpeded by interactions with the cosmic microwave background. Both cosmic rays and neutrinos have extremely low fluxes at these energies, which makes measurements difficult. Neutrino measurements have the added challenge of a longer interaction length that makes the atmosphere not suitable as a target. Here, we present the Study of Acoustic Ultra-high energy Neutrino Detection (SAUND) which uses an underwater acoustic sensor array spanning 1500 cubic kilometers to search for UHE neutrinos interacting in the ocean. A description of the data acquisition system, results of the background noise study, and an analysis based on an integrated 130 days of data are presented here. Two events are found to have properties compatible with UHE-neutrino-induced particle showers. Since our understanding of transient backgrounds is limited, a flux upper limit is set providing the most sensitive limit to date on UHE neutrinos using the acoustic technique.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2010 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Kurahashi, Naoko |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Applied Physics |
| Primary advisor | Gratta, Giorgio |
| Primary advisor | Petrosian, Vahe |
| Thesis advisor | Gratta, Giorgio |
| Thesis advisor | Petrosian, Vahe |
| Thesis advisor | Burchat, P. (Patricia) |
| Advisor | Burchat, P. (Patricia) |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Naoko Kurahashi. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Applied Physics. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2010. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2010 by Naoko Kurahashi
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
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