First Constraints on the Ultra-High Energy Neutrino Flux from a Prototype Station of the Askaryan Radio Array

TL;DR

This paper reports the first constraints on ultra-high energy neutrino flux obtained from the prototype Askaryan Radio Array station at the South Pole, setting limits in the energy range of 10^{17} to 10^{21} eV.

Contribution

It presents the first neutrino search results using data from the ARA Testbed and the initial full stations, establishing upper limits on neutrino flux at ultra-high energies.

Findings

Set new upper limits on neutrino flux in the 10^{17}-10^{21} eV range.

Demonstrated the feasibility of radio detection of ultra-high energy neutrinos.

Provided initial experimental constraints for future neutrino observatories.

Abstract

The Askaryan Radio Array (ARA) is an ultra-high energy ($>10^{17}$ eV) cosmic neutrino detector in phased construction near the South Pole. ARA searches for radio Cherenkov emission from particle cascades induced by neutrino interactions in the ice using radio frequency antennas ($\sim150-800$ MHz) deployed at a design depth of 200 m in the Antarctic ice. A prototype ARA Testbed station was deployed at $\sim30$ m depth in the 2010-2011 season and the first three full ARA stations were deployed in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons. We present the first neutrino search with ARA using data taken in 2011 and 2012 with the ARA Testbed and the resulting constraints on the neutrino flux from $10^{17}-10^{21}$ eV.