Combining IceCube Muon Tracks and Cascades to measure the Galactic Diffuse Neutrino Flux

Icecube Collaboration

doi:10.22323/1.501.1056

Combining IceCube Muon Tracks and Cascades to measure the Galactic Diffuse Neutrino Flux

Icecube Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy

University of Delaware
RWTH Aachen University
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Adelaide University
Loyola University Chicago
German Electron Synchrotron
University of Canterbury
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Université libre de Bruxelles
University of Copenhagen
TU Dortmund University
University of Kansas
Marquette University
Harvard University
University of Utah
Michigan State University
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
University of California at Irvine
Technical University of Munich
University of California at Berkeley
Ohio State University
Ruhr University Bochum
Uppsala University
University of Rochester
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Padua
University of Alabama
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Georgia Institute of Technology
Queen's University Kingston

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

The diffuse Galactic neutrino flux is produced by cosmic rays interacting with the interstellar medium. The measurement of this flux can help to understand the distribution of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. The first observation of this neutrino flux was published in 2023 by the IceCube Collaboration. Here, plans for a new analysis combining different event topologies are presented. IceCube measures events in two main topologies. Tracks, originating in charged current νμ interactions, provide a better angular resolution. In contrast, cascades, from most other possible interactions, provide a better energy resolution and are able to observe the Southern sky (and therefore the Galactic Center) despite the huge background of atmospheric muons. Combining both event topologies in one analysis exploits all these advantages. Sensitivities and model discrimination power of a combined measurement using a forward folding binned likelihood fit are discussed here.

Original language	English
Article number	1056
Journal	Proceedings of Science
Volume	501
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.22323/1.501.1056
State	Published - Dec 30 2025
Event	39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025 - Geneva, Switzerland Duration: Jul 15 2025 → Jul 24 2025

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10.22323/1.501.1056

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@article{7d4a7f6740de4d50bb8faa046a77ec11,

title = "Combining IceCube Muon Tracks and Cascades to measure the Galactic Diffuse Neutrino Flux",

abstract = "The diffuse Galactic neutrino flux is produced by cosmic rays interacting with the interstellar medium. The measurement of this flux can help to understand the distribution of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. The first observation of this neutrino flux was published in 2023 by the IceCube Collaboration. Here, plans for a new analysis combining different event topologies are presented. IceCube measures events in two main topologies. Tracks, originating in charged current νμ interactions, provide a better angular resolution. In contrast, cascades, from most other possible interactions, provide a better energy resolution and are able to observe the Southern sky (and therefore the Galactic Center) despite the huge background of atmospheric muons. Combining both event topologies in one analysis exploits all these advantages. Sensitivities and model discrimination power of a combined measurement using a forward folding binned likelihood fit are discussed here.",

author = "\{Icecube Collaboration\} and Schroeder, \{Frank G.\} and Federico Bontempo and R. Abbasi and M. Ackermann and J. Adams and Agarwalla, \{S. K.\} and Aguilar, \{J. A.\} and M. Ahlers and Alameddine, \{J. M.\} and S. Ali and Amin, \{N. M.\} and K. Andeen and C. Arg{\"u}elles and Y. Ashida and S. Athanasiadou and Axani, \{S. N.\} and R. Babu and X. Bai and J. Baines-Holmes and A. Balagopal and Barwick, \{S. W.\} and S. Bash and V. Basu and R. Bay and Beatty, \{J. J.\} and Tjus, \{J. Becker\} and P. Behrens and J. Beise and C. Bellenghi and B. Benkel and S. BenZvi and D. Berley and E. Bernardini and Besson, \{D. Z.\} and E. Blaufuss and L. Bloom and S. Blot and I. Bodo and F. Bontempo and Motzkin, \{J. Y.Book\} and Meneguolo, \{C. Boscolo\} and S. B{\"o}ser and O. Botner and J. B{\"o}ttcher and J. Braun and B. Brinson and Z. Brisson-Tsavoussis and Burley, \{R. T.\} and D. Butterfield and J. Kiryluk",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright owned by the author(s); 39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025 ; Conference date: 15-07-2025 Through 24-07-2025",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "30",

doi = "10.22323/1.501.1056",

language = "English",

volume = "501",

journal = "Proceedings of Science",

issn = "1824-8039",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Combining IceCube Muon Tracks and Cascades to measure the Galactic Diffuse Neutrino Flux

AU - Icecube Collaboration

AU - Schroeder, Frank G.

AU - Bontempo, Federico

AU - Abbasi, R.

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Adams, J.

AU - Agarwalla, S. K.

AU - Aguilar, J. A.

AU - Ahlers, M.

AU - Alameddine, J. M.

AU - Ali, S.

AU - Amin, N. M.

AU - Andeen, K.

AU - Argüelles, C.

AU - Ashida, Y.

AU - Athanasiadou, S.

AU - Axani, S. N.

AU - Babu, R.

AU - Bai, X.

AU - Baines-Holmes, J.

AU - Balagopal, A.

AU - Barwick, S. W.

AU - Bash, S.

AU - Basu, V.

AU - Bay, R.

AU - Beatty, J. J.

AU - Tjus, J. Becker

AU - Behrens, P.

AU - Beise, J.

AU - Bellenghi, C.

AU - Benkel, B.

AU - BenZvi, S.

AU - Berley, D.

AU - Bernardini, E.

AU - Besson, D. Z.

AU - Blaufuss, E.

AU - Bloom, L.

AU - Blot, S.

AU - Bodo, I.

AU - Bontempo, F.

AU - Motzkin, J. Y.Book

AU - Meneguolo, C. Boscolo

AU - Böser, S.

AU - Botner, O.

AU - Böttcher, J.

AU - Braun, J.

AU - Brinson, B.

AU - Brisson-Tsavoussis, Z.

AU - Burley, R. T.

AU - Butterfield, D.

AU - Kiryluk, J.

PY - 2025/12/30

Y1 - 2025/12/30

N2 - The diffuse Galactic neutrino flux is produced by cosmic rays interacting with the interstellar medium. The measurement of this flux can help to understand the distribution of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. The first observation of this neutrino flux was published in 2023 by the IceCube Collaboration. Here, plans for a new analysis combining different event topologies are presented. IceCube measures events in two main topologies. Tracks, originating in charged current νμ interactions, provide a better angular resolution. In contrast, cascades, from most other possible interactions, provide a better energy resolution and are able to observe the Southern sky (and therefore the Galactic Center) despite the huge background of atmospheric muons. Combining both event topologies in one analysis exploits all these advantages. Sensitivities and model discrimination power of a combined measurement using a forward folding binned likelihood fit are discussed here.

AB - The diffuse Galactic neutrino flux is produced by cosmic rays interacting with the interstellar medium. The measurement of this flux can help to understand the distribution of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. The first observation of this neutrino flux was published in 2023 by the IceCube Collaboration. Here, plans for a new analysis combining different event topologies are presented. IceCube measures events in two main topologies. Tracks, originating in charged current νμ interactions, provide a better angular resolution. In contrast, cascades, from most other possible interactions, provide a better energy resolution and are able to observe the Southern sky (and therefore the Galactic Center) despite the huge background of atmospheric muons. Combining both event topologies in one analysis exploits all these advantages. Sensitivities and model discrimination power of a combined measurement using a forward folding binned likelihood fit are discussed here.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105029025402

U2 - 10.22323/1.501.1056

DO - 10.22323/1.501.1056

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:105029025402

SN - 1824-8039

VL - 501

JO - Proceedings of Science

JF - Proceedings of Science

M1 - 1056

T2 - 39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025

Y2 - 15 July 2025 through 24 July 2025

ER -

Combining IceCube Muon Tracks and Cascades to measure the Galactic Diffuse Neutrino Flux

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