Effects of Biaxial Birefringence on Polarization Reconstruction for the Askaryan Radio Array

for the ARA Collaboration

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

Abstract

Ultra-high energy (UHE) neutrinos, with energies exceeding 1017 eV, offer unique insights into cosmic accelerators and the origins of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The Askaryan Radio Array (ARA) is designed to detect UHE neutrinos by capturing radio signals generated by their interactions within Antarctic ice. Observations from the South Pole Ice Core Experiment (SPICE) pulsing campaign revealed unexpected polarization effects in detected radio pulses transmitted through polar ice. This paper explores the impact of biaxial birefringence in South Pole ice on the polarization of SPICE pulses. We present a model that accounts for biaxial birefringence effects, showing how signal polarization can rotate during propagation through the ice. We show that the biaxial birefringence model can potentially explain the unexpected polarization results observed in SPICE data and highlight the need to validate the model to enhance future analyses and detector designs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number009
JournalProceedings of Science
Volume470
StatePublished - Nov 7 2024
Event10th International Workshop on Acoustic and Radio EeV Neutrino Detection Activities, ARENA 2024 - Chicago, United States
Duration: Jun 11 2024Jun 14 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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