Meeting Information

Detecting Neutrinos and WIMPS with IceCube

April 15, 2009
American Center for Physics
College Park, MD

Speaker: Professor Jordan Goodman, Physics Department, University of Maryland

Time and Location: Talk starts at 1:00 pm with Q&A to follow. It will be held in one of the first floor conference rooms at the American Center for Physics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD. This is located off River Road, between Kenilworth Ave. and Paint Branch Parkway.

Abstract: IceCube is a cubic kilometer neutrino telescope being constructed in the clear ice beneath the South Pole. The experiment searches for neutrinos originating in astrophysical sources, and can also detect neutrinos from dark matter (WIMP) interactions in the Sun or Earth. Since neutrinos will likely be produced at the source of high energy particle acceleration, they can be used as messengers pointing back to these sources - helping to answer the nearly century old question of the origin of cosmic rays. IceCube is nearly 75% complete and has been taking data for several years. In this talk, IceCube physics goals, design, present status, performance as well as dark matter detection sensitivities will be discussed. In addition, recent results obtained in the last two years of operation will be presented. Finally, a short discussion of life at the South Pole will be given.

Biography: Jordan Goodman is a professor and the former Chair of the Physics Department at the University of Maryland. His area of research, Particle Astrophysics, studies cosmic radiation to better understand the properties of elementary particles and the processes in space that produce these particles. This field blends elements of high-energy physics and astrophysics. Starting with his Ph.D. work, which showed evidence for an abundance of heavy elements such as iron in high-energy cosmic rays, he has worked to understand the nature and source of cosmic rays which hit the earth. Recently, his work has concentrated on two experimental efforts—the Milagro Gamma-Ray Observatory and the IceCube Neutrino Telescope.