Researchers at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica have discovered high-energy astrophysical neutrinos which are being produced in central parsec-scale regions of radio-bright active galaxies and quasars including 3C 279, NRAO 530, PKS 1741-038, and 4C +06.69. The first confirmed source of these high-energy cosmic neutrinos have eluded scientists for decades, but last September, that changed when such a particle struck a detector buried in ice at the South-Pole, research published in Science revealed. The event was coupled with the detection of a flaring ‘blazar’ by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-Ray Telescope giving us a clue as to the origin of these high-energy neutrinos. This discovery is not just significant for our knowledge of these particles however, it may help usher in a whole new age of ‘multi-messenger’ astronomy.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is the first detector of its kind, designed to observe the cosmos from deep within the South Pole ice. An international group of scientists responsible for the scientific research makes up the IceCube Collaboration. Encompassing a cubic kilometer of ice, IceCube searches for nearly massless subatomic particles called neutrinos. These high-energy astronomical messengers provide information to probe the most violent astrophysical sources: events like exploding stars, gamma-ray bursts, and cataclysmic phenomena involving black holes and neutron stars.
The Antarctic neutrino observatory, which also includes the surface array IceTop and the dense infill array DeepCore, was designed as a multipurpose experiment. IceCube collaborators address several big questions in physics, like the nature of dark matter and the properties of the neutrino itself. IceCube also observes cosmic rays that interact with the Earth’s atmosphere, which have revealed fascinating structures that are not presently understood.
The IceCube Lab at the South Pole in Antarctica. Image: S. Lidstrom/NSF
Approximately 300 physicists from 52 institutions in 12 countries make up the IceCube Collaboration. The international team is responsible for the scientific program, and many of the collaborators contributed to the design and construction of the detector. Exciting new research conducted by the collaboration is opening a new window for exploring our universe. The National Science Foundation (NSF) provided the primary funding for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, with assistance from partner funding agencies around the world. The University of Wisconsin–Madison is the lead institution, responsible for the maintenance and operations of the detector. Funding Agencies in each collaborating country support their scientific research efforts.
Research paper:
https://arxiv.org/abs/2001.00930
References:
https://sciscomedia.co.uk/researchers-find-source-of-cosmic-neutrinos-ushering-in-a-new-era-of-multi-messenger-astronomy/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/07/news-cosmic-rays-neutrinos-icecube-blazars-astronomy-space/
https://icecube.wisc.edu/
