Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory  (IceCube)

Outline
IceCube is a one-cubic-kilometer international high-energy neutrino observatory being installed in the ice below the South Pole Station. A companion cosmic ray surface air shower array, IceTop, will complement the detection of high energy astrophysical neutrinos and support IceCube by identifying background events. The IceCube detector will consist of approximately 80 strings of 60 digital optical modules deployed at depths between 1400 and 2400 meters. The IceTop detector will have a pair of frozen water tanks at the ice surface above each IceCube string. Each tank will have two digital optical modules to monitor cosmic ray events. The digital optical modules detect the light produced when charged particles pass through the ice, enabling the IceCube detector to track particles produced by neutrinos and IceTop to reconstruct cosmic ray events. Deployment of the first strings and surface IceTop tanks is underway now and will continue until the detector is completed in the 2009-2010 season. IceCube will open unexplored bands for astronomy, including the PeV (1015 eV) energy region, where the Universe is opaque to high energy gamma rays originating from beyond the edge of our own galaxy, and where cosmic rays do not carry directional information because of their deflection by magnetic fields. The instrument may, for example, answer the question of whether the fascinating multi-TeV photons originating in the Crab supernova remnant and near the supermassive black holes of active galaxies are of hadronic or electromagnetic origin. IceCube will provide a totally novel viewpoint on the multi-messenger astronomy of gamma ray bursts, which have been identified as a possible source of the highest energy particles in nature. IceCube also occupies a unique place in the multi-prong attack on the particle nature of dark matter, with unmatched sensitivity to cold dark matter particles approaching TeV masses. As a particle physics experiment with the capability to detect neutrinos with energies far beyond those produced at accelerators, IceCube will join the race to discover supersymmetric particles and the topological defects created in grand unified phase transitions in the early universe. The detection of cosmic neutrino beams would open the opportunity to study neutrino oscillations over Megaparsec baselines. These exciting capabilities notwithstanding, there should be no doubt the true potential of IceCube is discovery. History has not previously disappointed us: the opening of each new astronomical window has led to unexpected discoveries. Hidden particle accelerators may, for instance, exist from which only the neutrinos escape.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project most directly addresses theme #5, to use the unique vantage point of the polar regions to develop and enhance observatories from the interior of the earth to the sun and the cosmos beyond. The project uses the nearly 3000 m thick ice at the South Pole as the medium to track particles. This requires measurements of the optical properties of deep ice over a volume of a cubic kilometer. The in-ice photomultipliers that detect the light also are a three dimensional array to measure the ice flow at the south pole.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The IceCube collaboration consists of 12 USA institutions, (Bartol Research Institute, Delaware, Univ. of Alabama, Pennsylvania State University, UC Berkeley, Clark-Atlanta University, Univ. of Maryland, IAS, Princeton, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, LBNL, Berkeley, University of Kansas, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge) 12 European groups (Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium,Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Université de Mons-Hainaut, Belgium, Universität Mainz, Germany, DESY-Zeuthen, Germany, Universität Dortmund, Germany, Universität Wuppertal, Germany, Uppsala University, Sweden, Stockholm University, Sweden, Imperial College, London, UK, Oxford University, UK, Utrecht University, Netherlands) and Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela, Chiba university, Japan,University of Canterbury, Christchurch, NZ

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Amundson-Scott South Pole Station

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 2007-2008            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
All support for this project has been secured in the original approved proposal.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The IceCube neutrino telescope will continue to operate and collect data at least through 2013.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
National agency

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
At the United States NSF supported IPY conference Bridging the Poles in June 2004, IceCube was identified as a major United States project for the IPY.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Exp

Activities associated with the IPY with be integrated into the existing IceCube project plan.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The details of the organization of the IceCube project are available at http://icecube.wisc.edu/project_office/PMP_12May04.pdf. The IceCube Collaboration Board establishes IceCube science goals and approves the project directives. Each constituent institution has at least one member on the Collaboration Board and has one vote.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The IceCube collaboration has been actively engaged with both informal science presentations through local talks, exhibits at museums, and through formal professional development aimed at bringing the science and technology of IceCube to the classroom. Production of short vignettes for cable TV distribution are being planned.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Preliminary data collected during construction will be released consistent with IceCube collaboration policies.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
This is an approved project and is funded by a combination of United States National Science Foundation support together with significant contributions from national agencies from collaborators outside the USA.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Franicis Halzen
University of Wisconsin
1150 University Ave
Madison, WI
53706
USA

Tel: 608 262 2667
Mobile: no
Fax: 608 262 8628
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation