Scientists suggest IceCube should be eight times bigger

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-M) and located at Amundsen Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, is one of the most ambitious neutrino observatories in the world. Behind the observatory is the IceCube Collaboration, an international organization of 300 physicists from 59 institutions in 14 countries. The observatory relies on a cubic kilometer of ice to shield it from outside interference and is dedicated to finding neutrinos. These nearly massless subatomic particles are among the most abundant in the universe and are constantly passing through normal matter.

By studying these particles, scientists hope to gain insights into some of the most violent astrophysical sources, such as supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, merging black holes and neutron stars. This group of scientists tasked with advising the U.S. government on particle physics research is called the Particle Physics Program Priority Group (P5). In a recent draft report, Pathways to Innovation and Discovery in Particle Physics, the P5 team recommended plans to expand IceCube. The recommendation is one of several that will define the future of astrophysics and particle physics research.

The report also recommends support for an independent neutrino experiment called the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment in Illinois, as well as the CERN Large Hadron Collider, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Several projects at the Cherenkov Telescope Array, as well as the development of next-generation terrestrial neutrinos, are based on telescopes to observe the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). P5 advisors include two UW-Madison faculty members, Tulika Bose and Kyle Cranmer, and UW-Madison physicists are also working on the project played a leading role.

Bose was an experimental particle physicist working on the Compact Meson Solenoid Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Her research focuses on the search for exotic particles, dark matter, and Standard Model measurements. Cranmer’s research also focuses on the search for exotic particles and physics beyond the Standard Model, including the Atlas experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The pair spent much of the last year working with their P5 colleagues to assess the future of particle physics and recommend initiatives that would help advance the field.

One of the main focuses of the P5 team is how the federal government can maximize the limited funding allocated to particle physics research over the next decade. This is one of the main reasons why it is recommended to use the IceCube extension (commonly known as ICECube-Gen2). As they note in their report, upgrades to current observatories would be a relatively cost-effective way to increase the scientific community’s ability to detect and analyze neutrinos:

“IceCube-Gen2 also has a strong science case for multi-messenger astrophysics as well as a gravitational wave observatory… Antarctica is a unique location to enable the world-leading science of CMB-S4 and IceCube-Gen2 and must remain a premier scientific site , enabling the United States to continue to maintain its leadership in these areas.”

Using new technology and taking advantage of bright ice that we can model with greater accuracy, IceCube-Gen2 can expand the detection volume eightfold, at a comparable cost to IceCube. ” Leading the IceCube upgrade in a University of Wisconsin press release.

In addition to supporting the IceCube expansion and other major experiments, the panel recommends improving the balance of funding among projects of all sizes, establishing a more aggressive research and development program to develop the next generation of particle accelerators, and expanding the nation’s advanced technology workforce. Bose said she is particularly excited about the prospect of a new particle accelerator, possibly located in the United States. “I’m excited about the bold long-term vision set out in the P5 report,” she said. Such a collider would be an unparalleled global facility that would provide new insights into the mysteries of our quantum universe. “

The P5 group’s recommendations are currently under review by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DoE) High Energy Advisory Panel for Physics (HEPAP), which is scheduled to meet on December 8 to discuss the recommendations. An online version of the P5 report can be found on the DoE website, and a 2-page summary can be found on the HEPAP website.

Further reading: University of Wisconsin-Madison