arXiv subjects

Simona Toscano

Publications and source records attributed to Simona Toscano.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Radio Signatures of Cosmic-Ray Particle Showers in Deep In-Ice Antennas

To detect ultra-high-energy neutrinos, experiments such as ARA and RNO-G target the radio emission induced by these particles as they cascade in the ice, using deep in-ice antennas at the South Pole or in Greenland. In this context, it is essential to first characterize the in-ice radio signature from cosmic-ray-induced particle showers, which constitute a primary background for neutrino detection, and represent the fist in-situ detection of in-ice particle cascades with radio antennas. This characterization will help validate the detection principle and assist in calibration. To achieve this goal, we used FAERIE, the "Framework for the simulation of Air shower Emission of Radio for in-Ice Experiments", that combines CoREAS and GEANT4 to simulate the radio emission of cosmic ray showers deep in the ice. Using this tool, we analyze in-ice radio signatures of cosmic-ray showers, including polarization, timing, and radiation energy, as well as their dependence on shower parameters. These insights will facilitate the first cosmic-ray detections and improve cosmic-ray/neutrino discrimination.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

In-ice Radio Signatures of Cosmic Ray Particle Cascades

To detect ultra-high-energy neutrinos, experiments such as the Askaryan Radio Array and the Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland target the radio emission induced by these particles as they cascade in the ice. This is done by, amongst others, using deep in-ice antennas at the South Pole or in Greenland. A crucial step toward this goal is the characterization of the in-ice radio emission from cosmic-ray-induced particle showers. These showers form a primary background for neutrino searches, but can also be used to validate the detection principle and provide calibration signals for in-ice radio detectors. In this work, we use the Monte-Carlo framework FAERIE to perform the first characterization of cosmic ray signals with simulations that incorporate both their in-air and in-ice emissions. We investigate cosmic ray signatures such as their radiation energy, timing, polarization and frequency spectrum and quantify how they depend on shower properties. These results provide key guidelines for cosmic-ray identification and cosmic-ray/neutrino discrimination in future in-ice radio experiments.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Radio signatures of cosmic-ray showers with deep in-ice antennas

To detect ultra-high-energy neutrinos, experiments such as ARA and RNO-G target the radio emission these particles induce when cascading in the ice, using deep antennas in South Pole or in Greenland. One of the main backgrounds for such signals is the radio emission generated by cosmic-ray showers, either directly in the ice, or in the air and transmitted to the ice, which can both reach the deep antennas. The first detection of cosmic rays with deep antennas would thus validate this detection principle and allow us to calibrate the detectors. FAERIE, the Framework for the simulation of Air shower Emission of Radio for in-Ice Experiments, is a numerical tool that couples both CoREAS and GEANT4 Monte-Carlo codes to simulate the radio emission from cosmic-ray showers deep in the ice. Using this code, we will investigate cosmic-ray radio signatures and the possible implications on the design of a cosmic-ray veto.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Estimating the coincidence rate between the optical and radio array of IceCube-Gen2

The IceCube-Gen2 Neutrino Observatory is proposed to extend the all-flavour energy range of IceCube beyond PeV energies. It will comprise two key components: I) An enlarged 8$\,$km$^3$ in-ice optical Cherenkov array to measure the continuation of the IceCube astrophysical neutrino flux and improve IceCube's point source sensitivity above $\sim\,$100$\,$TeV; and II) A very large in-ice radio array with a surface area of about 500$\,$km$^2$. Radio waves propagate through ice with a kilometer-long attenuation length, hence a sparse radio array allows us to instrument a huge volume of ice to achieve a sufficient sensitivity to detect neutrinos with energies above tens of PeV. The different signal topologies for neutrino-induced events measured by the optical and in-ice radio detector - the radio detector is mostly sensitive to the cascades produced in the neutrino interaction, while the optical detector can detect long-ranging muon and tau leptons with high accuracy - yield highly complementary information. When detected in coincidence, these signals will allow us to reconstruct the neutrino energy and arrival direction with high fidelity. Furthermore, if events are detected in coincidence with a sufficient rate, they resemble the unique opportunity to study systematic uncertainties and to cross-calibrate both detector components. We present the expected rate of coincidence events for 10 years of operation. Furthermore, we analyzed possible detector optimizations to increase the coincidence rate.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

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↗

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↗

arXiv2009

Point source searches with the ANTARES neutrino telescope

With the installation of its last two lines in May 2008, ANTARES is currently the largest neutrino detector in the Northern Hemisphere. The detector comprises 12 detection lines, carrying 884 ten-inch photomultipliers, at a depth of about 2500 m in the Mediterranean Sea, about 40 km off shore Toulon in South France. Thanks to its exceptional angular resolution, better than 0.3 degree above 10 TeV, and its favorable location with the Galactic Center visible 63% of time, ANTARES is specially suited for the search of astrophysical point sources. Since 2007 ANTARES has been taking data in smaller configurations with 5 and 10 lines. With only 5 lines it already has been possible to set the most restrictive upper limits in the Southern sky. In this contribution we present the search of point sources with the 5-line data sample.

astro-ph.IM↗