Kilometer-Scale Neutrino Detectors: First Light

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development and current status of kilometer-scale neutrino detectors like IceCube, highlighting their scientific motivation, construction rationale, and initial performance results in neutrino astronomy.

Contribution

It provides an overview of the scientific motivation, construction rationale, and early results of IceCube, emphasizing the importance of large-scale Cherenkov detectors for neutrino astronomy.

Findings

IceCube is nearing completion and has begun collecting data.

Large-scale detectors are essential for advancing neutrino astronomy.

Initial performance results demonstrate the detector's capabilities.

Abstract

This is a brief report on the status of neutrino "astronomy" at a time when the kilometer-scale neutrino detector IceCube is approaching completion. We revisit the rationale for constructing gigantic neutrino detectors by transforming large volumes of natural ice and water into Cherenkov detectors. With time, the motivation for building such instruments has come into clear focus, and the requirement for their kilometer scale has been rationalized with improved accuracy. We will discuss the performance and some selected results of IceCube based on data taken during construction.