The ARIANNA Hexagonal Radio Array – performance and prospects

• Published in: EPJ Web of Conferences
• Main Author: Hallgren Allan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2016
• Subjects: Physics; QC1-999; Ross Ice Shelf; Ice Shelf
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201611603003; https://doaj.org/article/f67864804f8246038a422fd0f4f4875a

The origin of the highest energy cosmic rays at ∼1020 eV is still unknown. Ultra-high energy neutrinos from the GZK process should provide information on the sources and their properties. A promising and cost effective method for observing GZK-neutrinos is based on detection of Askaryan radio pulses with antennas installed in ice. The ARIANNA project aims at instrumenting a 36*36 km2 large area on the Ross Ice Shelf with an array of radio detection stations. The deployment of a test system for ARIANNA, the Hexagonal Radio Array (HRA), was completed in December 2014. The three first stations were installed in 2012. Solar panels are used to drive the < 10 W stations. The system hibernated at sunset in April and all stations returned to operation in September. The site is essentially free of anthropogenic noise. Simple cuts eliminate background and provides for efficient selection of neutrino events. Prospects for the sensitivity of the full ARIANNA array to the flux of GZK neutrinos are shown.