Scientific Colloquium
November 9, 2016, 3:30 p.m., Building 3 Auditorium


"High-Energy Astrophysical Neutrinos"  

In the summer of 2012, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory announced the observation of two neutrino interactions deep in the south polar icecap, each with energies in excess of 1015 eV, making them the highest energy neutrinos ever observed. Further analysis and additional data revealed that these events formed the tail of a spectrum that is inconsistent with the background from neutrinos produced by cosmic ray interactions with the atmosphere. While the measured rates agree with theoretical predictions of an astrophysical neutrino flux, many questions remain. Where did they come from? Does the spectrum abruptly cut off just above a PeV, or is it steeply falling? I will present the latest results from IceCube, and discuss future plans.

About the Speaker:

Kara Hoffman received her Ph.D. at Purdue University, followed by postdoctoral appointments at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland and the University of Chicago. She joined the UMD faculty as an assistant professor in 2004, was promoted to associate professor in 2010 and professor in 2015. Recognition has included the NSF Career Award, the CMPS Board of Visitors Distinguished Junior Faculty Award, and the Purdue University physics department's Outstanding Alumna Award in 2013. Her current work is in particle astrophysics, centered on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the Askaryan Radio Array at the South Pole. Physics World named IceCube’s first observations of cosmic neutrinos the 2013 Breakthrough of the Year.

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