University of Delaware
Physics and Astronomy
Supporting Stations: South Pole Station
Research Locations: B2 Science Lab
This project is part of the University of Delaware’s Bartol Research Institute neutron monitor program. One of the program’s 11 monitors is installed at the South Pole. This season, researchers will focus on enhancing the ability of IceTop—the surface component of the IceCube neutrino observatory—to determine element composition of solar energetic particles in the energy range of 1-10 Giga-electron-Volts (GeV). Using many components of the former South Pole neutron monitor, researchers will construct an enhanced suite of neutron detectors whose response functions (primarily due to hadrons) have a different dependence on energy and element composition from those of IceTop (primarily due to photons and leptons).
Field Season Overview:
One participant will deploy to test and repair the detectors as needed. Heaters on the outside platform will be replaced with redesigned versions. The grounding scheme for outside detectors will be investigated and revised as appropriate to limit static electricity sensitivity.
Deploying Team Members: