Effects of firn ice models on radio neutrino simulations using a RadioPropa ray tracer

Discussion timeslot (ZOOM-Meeting): 14. July 2021 - 12:00
ZOOM-Meeting URL: https://desy.zoom.us/j/91999581729
ZOOM-Meeting ID: 91999581729
ZOOM-Meeting Passcode: ICRC2021
Corresponding Session: https://icrc2021-venue.desy.de/channel/34-Radio-Detection-of-Neutrinos-NU/100
Live-Stream URL: https://icrc2021-venue.desy.de/livestream/Discussion-05/6

Abstract:
'The in-ice radio detection of the radio signals caused by the interaction of high energy neutrinos in vast natural media like polar ice, will be a promising technique to detect neutrinos of energies beyond the ones thus far measured. Because of the large attenuation length in ice for radio O(1km), sparse arrays can be built implying large effective volumes. rnrnThe simulations of effective volume calculations and reconstructions of the waveforms highly depend on the ice modelling. Thus far, for simplification, mainly analytically solvable exponential models of the ice are used. This allows for computationally fast raytracing. More elaborate methods, like FDTD (solving Maxwell equations on a full grid) can incorporate all ice properties. In particular, allowing for rays to reflect within the ice due to density discontinuities or allowing rays to travel horizontally through the firn (upper 200 m). However, this method is due to its heavy computing load impractical for large-scale simulations and reconstructions. rnrnRadioPropa is a numerical ray-tracer that was started to accommodate more complex ice models with acceptable speed. It is forked from the cosmic ray propagation code CRPropa. Presented here are waveform simulations and reconstructions (with respectively NuRadioMC and NuRadioReco) using RadioPropa. This contribution shows the effects of a non-exponential ice-model on the radio waveforms and the implications for reconstruction. Also, the implementation of horizontal propagation due to a non-smooth ice-model and its effect on the neutrino waveforms are shown.'

Authors: Bob Oeyen | Ilse Plaisier | Anna Nelles | Christian Glaser | Tobias Winchen
Collaboration: RNO-G

Indico-ID: 178
Proceeding URL: https://pos.sissa.it/395/1027