| Speaker: | Olaf Scholten (KVI / Groningen) |
|---|---|
| Title: | Improved flux limits for neutrinos with energies above 10^22 eV from NuMoon observations |
| Date (JST): | Mon, Feb 22, 2010, 15:00 - 16:00 |
| Place: | Seminar Room at IPMU Kamioka Satellite |
| Abstract: |
The origin of cosmic rays at the highest energies is still unknown, all we know that they must be ejected from an extremely energetic cosmic event. The quest in high-energy cosmic-ray physics is to find the flux at the highest energies as well as the sites where they originate from. Ultra-high energy (>10^20 eV) cosmic rays have a flux of about 1 particle per square kilometer per year, making it necessary to work with large detectors. When such a particle hits the Moon a very strong electromagnetic pulse is generated through a process known as the Askaryan effect. This mechanism will be explained and it is argued that in an observing window around 150~MHz there is a maximum chance for detecting this radiation on Earth with radio telescopes commonly used in astronomy. Using this principle we have set a new limit on the flux of neutrinos with energies in excess of 4 x 10^22 eV in 50 hours of observation time with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope array. Future plans for observations with LOFAR and SKA will also be discussed. |
| Contact: | Kai Martens |
| Remarks: | you can participate in this seminar in seminar room D on 5th floor. |
