Astroparticle Physics with IceCube Neutrino Observartory
Funding source: Swedish Research Council - Vetenskapsrådet (VR)
Period: 1/1/07 - 1/31/11
Funding: 2425000 SEK
Description:
Using cosmic neutrinos as probes opens a new window on the Universe. The dark matter and the unknown sources of the cosmic rays are questions, which might be answered by neutrinos. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the Amundsen-Scott base at the South Pole, Antarctica, is the first km3 sized neutrino detector project. The total (approved) budget is $270M. Sweden contributes with 36 Mkr from K&A Wallenberg foundation and VR. The project is based on the successful AMANDA neutrino telescope. The construction started in November 2005 and is expected to finish in 2011. The observatory will consist of the In-ice array deep in the ice and the IceTop air shower array at the surface. In the ice, 80 strings with 60 optical modules each will be deployed between depths of 1450 m and 2450 m. The distance between the strings is 125 m. The AMANDA neutrino telescope is located inside the volume of IceCube and will be integrated. The telescope is modular and new strings will be added into the data acquisition system as soon as they are deployed and commissioned. The first 22 strings of IceCube have been installed during three seasons (1, 8 and 13). The first atmospheric neutrinos have been observed using the nine-string detector in 2006. This application is for travel money, material money and on PhD student position for the Stockholm IceCube group.
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