IceCube Search for High-Energy Neutrinos from Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies

TL;DR

This study used IceCube data to search for high-energy neutrinos from 75 ultra-luminous infrared galaxies, setting upper limits on their neutrino flux and constraining models of neutrino emission, despite no significant detections.

Contribution

First comprehensive stacking analysis of ULIRGs for high-energy neutrinos, providing upper limits and model constraints based on 7.5 years of IceCube data.

Findings

No significant neutrino excess detected from ULIRGs.

Upper limits established on neutrino flux from ULIRGs.

Constraints placed on theoretical neutrino emission models.

Abstract

With infrared luminosities $L_{\mathrm{IR}} \geq 10^{12} L_{\odot}$, Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs) are the most luminous objects in the infrared sky. They are predominantly powered by starburst regions with star-formation rates $\gtrsim 100~ M_{\odot}~ \mathrm{yr^{-1}}$. ULIRGs can also host an active galactic nucleus (AGN). Both the starburst and AGN environments contain plausible hadronic accelerators, making ULIRGs candidate neutrino sources. We present the results of an IceCube stacking analysis searching for high-energy neutrinos from a representative sample of 75 ULIRGs with redshift $z \leq 0.13$. While no significant excess of ULIRG neutrinos is found in 7.5 years of IceCube data, upper limits are reported on the neutrino flux from these 75 ULIRGs as well as an extrapolation for the full ULIRG source population. In addition, constraints are provided on models predicting neutrino emission from ULIRGs.