ICE-CUBE: The Under-the-Ice Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica — Opening a New Window on the Universe from the South Pole
Astrophysics seminar by Francis Halzen, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Hosted by PSW Science
Recording
Abstract
Francis Halzen explains how the IceCube telescope uses detectors buried deep in Antarctic ice to observe high-energy neutrinos from the cosmos. The lecture describes construction of the observatory, the measurement of particle energies and directions, and the distinction between atmospheric backgrounds and neutrinos arriving from distant astrophysical sources.
It connects the discovery of cosmic neutrinos with the search for the powerful accelerators that produce cosmic rays. Examples include the association with a flaring blazar and evidence identifying the active galaxy NGC 1068 as a neutrino source. Halzen discusses the role of rotating supermassive black holes, coordination with other observatories, and prospects for extending the detector.
Topics
Upcoming in Astrophysics
All seminarsLifting Astrophysical Barriers to Small Scale Cosmology
Oct 9, 2026Jared SiegelResolving Planet Formation and Evolution Through the Lens of Jupiters
Oct 9, 2026Marta BryanSearching for Gravitational Waves from the Big Bang
Oct 14, 2026Lyman A. Page Jr.Constraining Inflation with the CMB: From Cosmological Colliders to Open Quantum Systems
Nov 3, 2026Petar Suman
Conferences in Astrophysics soon
All conferencesADASS XXXVI
Nov 1–5, 2026University of Western Australia, Perth, AustraliaLARIM2026: Latin-America Regional IAU Meeting
Nov 30 – Dec 4, 2026Cancún, Mexico249th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society
Jan 10–14, 2027Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USAALMA at 15 Years: Science, Synergies, and the Road Ahead
Feb 22–26, 2027Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei, Taiwan