[Jlab-seminars] Physics Seminars: Gary Hill; “Exploring the mysteries of the Universe with the IceCube neutrino detector at the South Pole”

[Erica Jones]

*Physics Seminar*

*Gary Hill*

*University of Adelaide, Australia***

“Exploring the mysteries of the Universe with the IceCube neutrino 
detector at the South Pole”

*Abstract*

IceCube is a cubic kilometre neutrino detector, consisting of over 5000 
optical sensors, embedded in the deep ice at the South Pole. The primary 
goal of detecting high energy neutrinos from the Universe was reached 
after two years of full operation - heralding the birth of neutrino 
astronomy. In this talk I will review how an idea from the 1960s became
a reality decades later, culminating with the observation of the first 
cosmic neutrinos. These neutrinos, with energies up to 2 PeV, may come 
from exotic objects such as active galaxies, or gamma-ray bursts, where 
some sort of acceleration mechanism would be at work, boosting cosmic 
ray particles to energies millions of times greater than achieved at the 
LHC. IceCube's neutrino observations are helping in the quest to 
understand how such particle acceleration could be possible. At lower 
energies, IceCube is searching for neutrinos from many potential dark 
matter annihilation sites - including our Sun, and the centre of the 
galaxy. The background flux of atmospheric neutrinos is also providing a 
beam for particle physics - allowing for precision measurements of 
neutrino oscillation mixing parameters, and for searches for sterile
neutrinos. Finally, I will describe plans to expand the high and low 
energy reach of the array - and some of the physics that will be 
explored, including attempts to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy.

Friday, May 22, 2015

11:00am

CEBAF F113

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