arXiv subjects

Nick van Eijndhoven

Publications and source records attributed to Nick van Eijndhoven.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

NuRadioMC: Simulating the radio emission of neutrinos from interaction to detector

NuRadioMC is a Monte Carlo framework designed to simulate ultra-high energy neutrino detectors that rely on the radio detection method. This method exploits the radio emission generated in the electromagnetic component of a particle shower following a neutrino interaction. NuRadioMC simulates everything from the neutrino interaction in a medium, the subsequent Askaryan radio emission, the propagation of the radio signal to the detector and finally the detector response. NuRadioMC is designed as a modern, modular Python-based framework, combining flexibility in detector design with user-friendliness. It includes a state-of-the-art event generator, an improved modelling of the radio emission, a revisited approach to signal propagation and increased flexibility and precision in the detector simulation. This paper focuses on the implemented physics processes and their implications for detector design. A variety of models and parameterizations for the radio emission of neutrino-induced showers are compared and reviewed. Comprehensive examples are used to discuss the capabilities of the code and different aspects of instrumental design decisions.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2025

Average Power-Density Spectrum of short and long Fermi-GBM Gamma-Ray Bursts

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful electromagnetic outbursts in the Universe and emit a vast amount of their energy in the form of gamma rays. Their duration is extremely short on cosmic timescales, but they show a wealth of time variability in their light curves. Properties of this variability may carry information about the processes the gamma rays emerge from, which are still poorly understood. This research investigates the redshift-corrected gamma-ray light curves of 159 long GRBs, observed with the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor on the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope between 2008 and 2023. We calculate the average power-density spectrum (PDS) of different groups of GRBs that are distinguished based on fluence, peak rate, duration, redshift, and the different GRB phases. Almost all redshift-corrected spectra reveal a power-law behavior with high-frequency power-law indices distributed around $\sim -1.9 \pm 0.2$. The precursor phase and redshift-corrected short bursts exhibit a shallower power law with index $\sim -1.30 \pm 0.04$, potentially due to the limited statistics that these samples represent. Only in some cases, the high-frequency index is still consistent with the $-5/3$ (Kolmogorov) slope, found by earlier studies and linked to the appearance of fully developed turbulence.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Simulation of radio signals from cosmic-ray cascades in air and ice as observed by in-ice Askaryan radio detectors

A new generation of neutrino observatories will search for PeV-EeV neutrinos interacting in the ice by detecting radio pulses. Extended air showers propagating into the ice will form an important background and could be a valuable calibration signal. We present results from a Monte-Carlo simulation framework developed to fully simulate radio emission from cosmic-ray particle cascades as observed by in-ice radio detectors in the polar regions. The framework involves a modified version of CoREAS (a module of CORSIKA 7) to simulate in-air radio emission and a GEANT4-based framework for simulating in-ice radio emission from cosmic-ray showers as observed by in-ice antennas. The particles that reach the surface of the polar ice sheet at the end of the CORSIKA 7 simulation are injected into the GEANT4-based shower simulation code that takes the particles and propagates them further into the ice sheet, using an exponential density profile for the ice. The framework takes into account curved ray paths caused by the exponential refractive index profiles of air and ice. We present the framework and discuss some key features of the radio signal and radio shower footprint for in-ice observers.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Simulation of in-ice cosmic ray air shower induced particle cascades

We present detailed microscopic simulations of high-energy cosmic-ray air showers penetrating high-altitude ice layers that can be found at the polar regions. We use a combination of the CORSIKA Monte Carlo code and the Geant4 simulation toolkit, and focus on the particle cascade that develops in the ice to describe its most prominent features. We discuss the impact of the ice layer on the total number of particles in function of depth of the air shower, and we give a general parameterization of the charge distribution in the cascade front in function of Xmax of the cosmic ray air shower, which can be used for analytical and semi-analytical calculations of the expected Askaryan radio emission of the in-ice particle cascade. We show that the core of the cosmic ray air shower dominates during the propagation in ice, therefore creating an in-ice particle cascade strongly resembling a neutrino-induced particle cascade. Finally, we present the results of microscopic simulations of the Askaryan radio emission of the in-ice particle cascade, showing that the emission is dominated by the shower core, and discuss the feasibility of detecting the plasma created by the particle cascade in the ice using RADAR echo techniques.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Investigating starburst-driven neutrino emission from galaxies in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey

We present a phenomenological framework for starburst-driven neutrino production via proton-proton collisions and apply it to (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). The framework relates the infrared luminosity of a GOALS galaxy, derived from consistently available Herschel Space Observatory data, to the expected starburst-driven neutrino flux. The model parameters that define this relation can be estimated from multiwavelength data. We apply the framework in a case study to the LIRG NGC 3690 (Arp 299, Mrk 171) and compare the obtained neutrino fluxes to the current sensitivity of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. Using our framework, we also conclude that the neutrino emission in the LIRG NGC 1068, recently presented as the first steady IceCube neutrino point source, cannot be explained by a starburst-driven scenario and is therefore likely dominated by the active galactic nucleus in this galaxy. In addition to the single-source investigations, we also estimate the diffuse starburst-driven neutrino flux from GOALS galaxies and the total LIRG population over cosmic history.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Simulation of the propagation of CR air shower cores in ice

Currently new radio detection techniques are being explored to detect astrophysical neutrinos beyond the PeV scale interacting in polar ice. Due to the long attenuation length of radio waves in a medium, it can be expected that such instruments will also be sensitive to the radio emission of cosmic ray air showers. Furthermore, cosmic ray air showers hitting a high-altitude layer of ice will initiate an in-ice particle cascade, also leading to radio emission. We present the first results of detailed simulations of the in-ice continuation of these cosmic-ray-induced particle cascades, using a combination of the CORSIKA Monte Carlo code and the Geant4 simulation toolkit. We give an overview of the general features of such particle cascades and present a parameterization in terms of Xmax of the longitudinal and lateral particle distributions. We discuss the feasibility of observing the in-ice particle cascades, both through the detection of the Askaryan radio emission as well as by using the RADAR reflection technique. Based on these results we find that the expected signals from the continuation of in-ice cosmic-ray induced particle cascades will be very similar to neutrino signals. This means a thorough understanding of these events is necessary in the search for neutrino candidates, while it also promises an interesting in-situ natural calibration source.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

IceCube Search for High-Energy Neutrinos from Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies

With infrared luminosities $L_{\mathrm{IR}} \geq 10^{12} L_{\odot}$, Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs) are the most luminous objects in the infrared sky. They are predominantly powered by starburst regions with star-formation rates $\gtrsim 100~ M_{\odot}~ \mathrm{yr^{-1}}$. ULIRGs can also host an active galactic nucleus (AGN). Both the starburst and AGN environments contain plausible hadronic accelerators, making ULIRGs candidate neutrino sources. We present the results of an IceCube stacking analysis searching for high-energy neutrinos from a representative sample of 75 ULIRGs with redshift $z \leq 0.13$. While no significant excess of ULIRG neutrinos is found in 7.5 years of IceCube data, upper limits are reported on the neutrino flux from these 75 ULIRGs as well as an extrapolation for the full ULIRG source population. In addition, constraints are provided on models predicting neutrino emission from ULIRGs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

Identification of GRB precursors in Fermi-GBM bursts

We present an analysis of more than 11 years of Fermi-GBM data in which 217 Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are found for which their main burst is preceded by a precursor flash. We find that short GRBs ($<$2 s) are ~10 times less likely to produce a precursor than long GRBs. The quiescent time profile is well described by a double Gaussian distribution, indicating that the observed precursors have two distinct physical progenitors. The light curves of the identified precursor GRBs are publicly available in an online catalog (https://icecube.wisc.edu/~grbweb_public/Precursors.html).

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

IceCube search for high-energy neutrinos produced in the precursor stages of gamma-ray bursts

While gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) were once believed to be a dominant source of astrophysical neutrinos, the lack of any significant correlation between high-energy photons and neutrinos has resulted in stringent limits on their neutrino fluxes. Previous IceCube searches for neutrinos from GRBs have generally focused on the prompt phase of GRBs. However, the higher density during the GRB precursor stage could lead to more hadronic interactions, and therefore be the predominant time of neutrino emission. We present results from an analysis of Fermi-GBM data to identify and characterize individual precursor flashes. Together with an up-to-date catalog of GRBs, we have made our results available via an online tool. An IceCube analysis method to search for neutrinos arriving coincident with GRB precursors has been developed. In this presentation, we compare the sensitivity of this analysis to previous IceCube analyses and discuss the implications in case a significant signal is found.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Coherent radio emission from the electron beam sudden appearance

We report on the measurement of coherent radio emission from the electron beam sudden appearance at the Telescope Array Electron Light Source facility. This emission was detected by four independent radio detector setups sensitive to frequencies ranging from 50 MHz up to 12.5 GHz. We show that this phenomenon can be understood as a special case of coherent transition radiation by comparing the observed results with simulations. The in-nature application of this signal is given by the emission of cosmic ray or neutrino induced particle cascades traversing different media such as air, rock and ice.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2018

On the Radar detection of high-energy neutrino-induced cascades in ice; From Radar scattering cross-section to sensitivity

In recent works we discussed the feasibility of the radar detection technique as a new method to probe high-energy cosmic-neutrino induced plasmas in ice. Using the different properties of the induced ionization plasma, an energy threshold of several PeV was derived for the over-dense scattering of a radio wave off the plasma. Next to this energy threshold the radar return power was determined for the different constituents of the plasma. It followed that the return signal should be detectable at a distance of several hundreds of meters to a few kilometers, depending on the plasma constituents and considered geometry. In this article we describe a more detailed modeling of the scattering process by expanding our model to include the full shower geometry, as well as the reflection off the under-dense plasma region. We include skin-effects, as well as the angular dependence of the scattered signal. As a first application of this more detailed modeling approach, we provide the effective area and sensitivity for a simplified detector setup. It follows that, depending on the detailed plasma properties, the radar detection technique provides a very promising method for the detection of neutrino induced particle cascades at energies above several PeV. Nevertheless, to determine the feasibility of the method more detailed information about the plasma properties, especially its lifetime and the free charge collision rate, are needed.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

The cosmic-ray air-shower signal in Askaryan radio detectors

We discuss the radio emission from high-energy cosmic-ray induced air showers hitting Earth's surface before the cascade has died out in the atmosphere. The induced emission gives rise to a radio signal which should be detectable in the currently operating Askaryan radio detectors built to search for the GZK neutrino flux in ice. The in-air emission, the in-ice emission, as well as a new component, the coherent transition radiation when the particle bunch crosses the air-ice boundary, are included in the calculations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2007

GRB neutrino detection via time profile stacking

A method is presented for the identification of high-energy neutrinos from gamma ray bursts by means of a large-scale neutrino telescope. The procedure makes use of a time profile stacking technique of observed neutrino induced signals in correlation with satellite observations. By selecting a rather wide time window, a possible difference between the arrival times of the gamma and neutrino signals may also be identified. This might provide insight in the particle production processes at the source. By means of a toy model it will be demonstrated that a statistically significant signal can be obtained with a km$^{3}$-scale neutrino telescope on a sample of 500 gamma ray bursts for a signal rate as low as 1 detectable neutrino for 3% of the bursts.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

On the observability of high-energy neutrinos from gamma ray bursts

A method is presented for the identification of high-energy neutrinos from gamma ray bursts by means of a large-scale neutrino telescope. The procedure makes use of a time profile stacking technique of observed neutrino induced signals in correlation with satellite observations. By selecting a rather wide time window, a possible difference between the arrival times of the gamma and neutrino signals may also be identified. This might provide insight in the particle production processes at the source. By means of a toy model it will be demonstrated that a statistically significant signal can be obtained with a km^3 scale neutrino telescope on a sample of 500 gamma ray bursts for a signal rate as low as 1 detectable neutrino for 3% of the bursts.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

In-event background and signal reconstruction for two-photon invariant-mass analyses

A method is presented for the reconstruction of both the background and signal in invariant-mass analyses for two-photon decays. The procedure does not make use of event mixing techniques and as such is based exclusively on an event-by-event analysis. Consequently, topological correlations of the event (e.g. jet structures) are automatically taken into account. By means of the decay process $π^{0} \to γγ$ it will be demonstrated how the procedure allows for determination of the $π^{0}$ yield from the observed decay photons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2000

Physics Aspects of the CERN Heavy-Ion Programme

Statistical calculations within the Standard Model indicate that at extremely high densities the quarks and gluons will become deconfined, leading to a new state of matter, the so-called Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Recently it was announced at CERN that compelling evidence has been obtained from experimental data that indeed the formation of a deconfined state has been achieved in very energetic collisions of heavy nuclei. In this presentation I will provide an overview of the main aspects of heavy-ion physics and will address the various observations which indicate the possible creation of a deconfined state. To enable a systematic study of the QGP state, a combined measurement of the various observables is needed. It will be shown how this can be realised within the ALICE experiment at the future LHC collider.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2000

On the Use of Transverse Momentum Spectra to probe Thermalisation and Collective Expansion in Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

Transverse momentum spectra of the reaction products from proton-proton and nucleus-nucleus collisions are discussed within the phenomenological frameworks of statistical phase-space and string fragmentation models. It will be shown that a string fragmentation model can accommodate all of the observations discussed here and consequently it is claimed that no conclusion about the thermal nature or collective expansion of the created system may be derived from observed transverse momentum spectra.

hep-ph↗