Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation
The Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) balloon experiment was designed to detect radio signals initiated by high-energy neutrinos and cosmic ray (CR) air showers. These signals are typically discriminated by the polarization and phase inversions of the radio signal. The reflected signal f...
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ftunivutrecht:oai:dspace.library.uu.nl:1874/409846 2023-12-03T10:11:31+01:00 Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation Shoemaker, Ian kusenko, alexander Kuipers Munneke, P. Romero-Wolf, Andrew Schroeder, Dustin Siegert, M.J. Sub Dynamics Meteorology Marine and Atmospheric Research 2020-04 application/pdf https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/409846 en eng 0260-3055 https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/409846 info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess Antarctic glaciology Ice physics Snow physics Article 2020 ftunivutrecht 2023-11-08T23:20:00Z The Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) balloon experiment was designed to detect radio signals initiated by high-energy neutrinos and cosmic ray (CR) air showers. These signals are typically discriminated by the polarization and phase inversions of the radio signal. The reflected signal from CRs suffer phase inversion compared to a direct ‘tau neutrino’ event. In this paper, we study subsurface reflection, which can occur without phase inversion, in the context of the two anomalous up-going events reported by ANITA. It is found that subsurface layers and firn density inversions may plausibly account for the events, while ice fabric layers and wind ablation crusts could also play a role. This hypothesis can be tested with radar surveying of the Antarctic region in the vicinity of the anomalous ANITA events. Future experiments should not use phase inversion as a sole criterion to discriminate between down-going and up-going events, unless the subsurface reflection properties are well understood. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Utrecht University Repository Antarctic The Antarctic |
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Open Polar |
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Utrecht University Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftunivutrecht |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctic glaciology Ice physics Snow physics |
spellingShingle |
Antarctic glaciology Ice physics Snow physics Shoemaker, Ian kusenko, alexander Kuipers Munneke, P. Romero-Wolf, Andrew Schroeder, Dustin Siegert, M.J. Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation |
topic_facet |
Antarctic glaciology Ice physics Snow physics |
description |
The Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) balloon experiment was designed to detect radio signals initiated by high-energy neutrinos and cosmic ray (CR) air showers. These signals are typically discriminated by the polarization and phase inversions of the radio signal. The reflected signal from CRs suffer phase inversion compared to a direct ‘tau neutrino’ event. In this paper, we study subsurface reflection, which can occur without phase inversion, in the context of the two anomalous up-going events reported by ANITA. It is found that subsurface layers and firn density inversions may plausibly account for the events, while ice fabric layers and wind ablation crusts could also play a role. This hypothesis can be tested with radar surveying of the Antarctic region in the vicinity of the anomalous ANITA events. Future experiments should not use phase inversion as a sole criterion to discriminate between down-going and up-going events, unless the subsurface reflection properties are well understood. |
author2 |
Sub Dynamics Meteorology Marine and Atmospheric Research |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Shoemaker, Ian kusenko, alexander Kuipers Munneke, P. Romero-Wolf, Andrew Schroeder, Dustin Siegert, M.J. |
author_facet |
Shoemaker, Ian kusenko, alexander Kuipers Munneke, P. Romero-Wolf, Andrew Schroeder, Dustin Siegert, M.J. |
author_sort |
Shoemaker, Ian |
title |
Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation |
title_short |
Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation |
title_full |
Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation |
title_fullStr |
Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Reflections on the anomalous ANITA events: the Antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation |
title_sort |
reflections on the anomalous anita events: the antarctic subsurface as a possible explanation |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/409846 |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic |
op_relation |
0260-3055 https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/409846 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
_version_ |
1784253583688990720 |