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Abstract: The Pierre Auger Observatory, the world’s largest ultra-high-energy (UHE) cosmic ray (CR) detector, plays a crucial role in multi-messenger astroparticle physics with its high sensitivity to UHE photons and neutrinos. Recent Auger Observatory studies have set stringent limits on the diffuse and point-like fluxes of these particles, enhancing constraints on dark-matter models and UHECR sources. Although no temporal coincidences of neutrinos or photons with LIGO/Virgo gravitational wave events have been observed, competitive limits on the energy radiated in these particles have been established, particularly from the GW170817 binary neutron star merger. Additionally, correlations between the arrival directions of UHECRs and high-energy neutrinos have been explored using data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, ANTARES, and the Auger Observatory, providing additional neutrino flux constraints. Efforts to correlate UHE neutron fluxes with gamma-ray sources within our galaxy continue, although no significant excesses have been found. These collaborative and multi-faceted efforts underscore the pivotal role of the Auger Observatory in advancing multi-messenger astrophysics and probing the most extreme environments of the Universe.
Keywords: high-energy particle physics, astrophysics, ultra-high energy cosmic rays, neutrinos, gravitional waves
Published in RUNG: 22.04.2025; Views: 170; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: The Pierre Auger Observatory, as a key actor in multi-messenger astronomy, is playing a crucial role in searching for and following-up cosmic phenomena across different channels. Data from the Observatory have been utilized for nearly 20 years to search for showers induced by Ultra-High-Energy (UHE) neutrinos with energies exceeding 0.1 EeV. Neutrino-induced showers at high zenith angles are likely to develop deep in the atmosphere, resulting in a significant electromagnetic component that distinguishes them from the cosmic-ray background. This enables the identification of candidate events from both neutrinos interacting in the atmosphere and Earth-skimming τ neutrinos. Searches have been conducted for both diffuse and point sources using data collected by the Surface Detector, a large array of over 1660 water-Cherenkov stations spread over an area of 3000 square km. Additionally, the Fluorescence Detector consisting of 27 telescopes has been employed to search for upward-developing air showers, as predicted by several interpretations of the 'anomalous' events detected by the ANITA detector. In this contribution, we summarize the main results obtained in these searches and discuss their astrophysical implications.
Keywords: ulti-messenger astronomy, ultra-high-energy neutrino search, down-going neutrinos, Earth-skimming τ neutrinos, search for upward-developing air showers, ANITA detector, Pierre Auger Observatory
Published in RUNG: 24.03.2025; Views: 362; Downloads: 6
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Abstract: Context. At late stages, massive stars experience strong mass-loss rates, losing their external layers and thus producing a dense H-rich circumstellar medium (CSM). After the explosion of a massive star, the collision and continued interaction of the supernova (SN) ejecta with the CSM power the SN light curve through the conversion of kinetic energy into radiation. When the interaction is strong, the light curve shows a broad peak and high luminosity that lasts for several months. For these SNe, the spectral evolution is also slower compared to non-interacting SNe. Notably, energetic shocks between the ejecta and the CSM create the ideal conditions for particle acceleration and the production of high-energy (HE) neutrinos above 1 TeV. Aims. We study four strongly interacting Type IIn SNe, 2021acya, 2021adxl, 2022qml, and 2022wed, in order to highlight their peculiar characteristics, derive the kinetic energy of their explosion and the characteristics of the CSM, infer clues on the possible progenitors and their environment, and relate them to the production of HE neutrinos. Methods. We analysed spectro-photometric data of a sample of interacting SNe to determine their common characteristics and derive the physical properties (radii and masses) of the CSM and the ejecta kinetic energies and compare them to HE neutrino production models. Results. The SNe analysed in this sample exploded in dwarf star-forming galaxies, and they are consistent with energetic explosions and strong interaction with the surrounding CSM. For SNe 2021acya and 2022wed, we find high CSM masses and mass-loss rates, linking them to very massive progenitors. For SN 2021adxl, the spectral analysis and less extreme CSM mass suggest a stripped-envelope massive star as a possible progenitor. SN 2022qml is marginally consistent with being a Type Ia thermonuclear explosion embedded in a dense CSM. The mass-loss rates for all the SNe are consistent with the expulsion of several solar masses of material during eruptive episodes in the last few decades before the explosion. Finally, we find that the SNe in our sample are marginally consistent with HE neutrino production.
Keywords: astronomy, neutrinos, supernovae
Published in RUNG: 04.03.2025; Views: 501; Downloads: 8
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Abstract: The Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to ultra-high energy neutral particles, such as photons, neutrinos, and neutrons, and can take part in Multi-Messenger searches in collaboration with other observatories. Photons and neutrinos are searched by exploiting the design of the Pierre Auger Observatory and profiting from the different properties of the induced showers caused by different particles. Diffuse and point source fluxes of photons and neutrinos are searched for. Furthermore, photon and neutrino follow-ups of the gravitational wave events observed by the LIGO/Virgo Collaboration are conducted. The Pierre Auger Observatory is also used to search for neutrons from point-like sources. In contrast to photons and neutrinos, neutrons induce air showers that cannot be distinguished from those produced by protons. For this reason, the search for neutrons from a given source is performed by searching for an excess of air showers from the corresponding direction. All these searches have resulted in stringent upper limits on the corresponding fluxes of the considered particles, allowing, together with the results obtained by other experiments, to shed some light on the most energetic phenomena of our Universe. An overview of the Multi-Messenger activities carried out within the Pierre Auger Collaboration is presented.
Keywords: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, UHE photons, UHE neutrinos, UHE neutrons, Pierre Auger Observatory, multi-messenger astrophysical studies
Published in RUNG: 04.10.2024; Views: 1045; Downloads: 6
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Abstract: The origin of UHECRs is an open question which is complicated due to not very well-known deflections of the charged particles in Galactic and intergalactic magnetic fields. Finding the EeV neutrinos from astronomical sources will be a key to solve the problem of the origin. EeV neutrinos are expected to produce extensive air showers which are observable by the current operational air shower arrays. To search for neutrino-induced showers, it is important to increase both the interaction probability and background rejection power in the analysis of the inclined showers. We study a reconstruction method of the Telescope Array surface detector (TA SD) data for the neutrino-induced inclined air showers. The prime target is to improve the angular resolution for the astronomical objects. In this contribution, we present the detail of analysis method, angular resolution and total exposure of TA SD for neutrinos from the astronomical objects as a function of the declination.
Keywords: Telescope Array, indirect detection, surface detection, ground array, ultra-high energy, cosmic rays, inclined showers, neutrinos
Published in RUNG: 09.10.2023; Views: 2861; Downloads: 6
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