Description:

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has measured a sample of primarily atmospheric muon neutrino events over 11 years from all directions below the horizon, spanning an energy range from 500 GeV to 100 TeV. These neutrinos traverse the Earth and are attenuated to varying amounts depending on their energy and the column density they pass through. By modeling the Earth as multiple constant-density shells, IceCube can measure the upgoing neutrino flux as a function of declination and infer the density of each shell. In this talk, we present the results of a Bayesian analysis using this approach, including measurements of the Earth’s density profile and total mass. We also discuss the analysis procedure, details of the data sample, and systematic uncertainties. This work represents the latest weak force–based measurement of the Earth’s density profile and mass, complementing measurements typically done gravitationally or with seismic waves.

Alex Wen, PhD Student, Harvard

Host: Adrian Thompson