Searches for Ultrahigh Energy Neutrinos with AMANDA

The Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA) is the world's premier high energy neutrino telescope. AMANDA opens a previously unexplored window on the universe spanning many orders of magnitude in energy, a range in energy where light and cosmic-rays are unable to serve as astronomical messengers. At these energies, neutrinos are the only known particles that can play that role, and if history is our guide, the unprecedented sensitivity of the AMANDA neutrino telescope-and of its planned successor, IceCube-to such a vast, unexplored region of the sky will lead to new and exciting discoveries.

This proposal focuses on a particular signal created by ultrahigh energy neutrinos, a signal known as a 'cascade.' A cascade is basically an expanding ball of light created by a neutrino interaction in the ice. This signal has the advantage of being better contained in the detector volume and hence easier to reconstruct and distinguish from possible backgrounds. In addition to creating analysis techniques to discover cascade signals in the AMANDA detector, we will also endeavor to calibrate the detector and upgrade its subsystems in order to enhance its cascade sensitivity. Undergraduate and graduate students will work with postdoctoral fellows, the P.I. and others in this research. A concerted effort will be made to include underrepresented groups, both in this research and in physics in general, through a mentoring program for female undergraduates.