Determining the orientation of radio antennas at the South Pole using Galactic noise measurements

Icecube Collaboration

doi:10.22323/1.501.0308

Determining the orientation of radio antennas at the South Pole using Galactic noise measurements

Icecube Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy

Loyola University Chicago
German Electron Synchrotron
University of Canterbury
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar
Université libre de Bruxelles
University of Copenhagen
TU Dortmund University
University of Kansas
University of Delaware
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
Chalmers University of Technology
RWTH Aachen University
Uppsala University
University of Rochester
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Padua
National Institute for Nuclear Physics
University of Alabama
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Georgia Institute of Technology
Queen's University Kingston
Adelaide University
Drexel University

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

Abstract

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a multi-messenger observatory at the South Pole. As preparation for an enhancement of its surface array, IceTop, a prototype station consisting of elevated scintillation panels and radio antennas has been installed and is operating since 2020. The radio antennas detect emissions from cosmic-ray-induced air showers, and their precise orientation is essential for an accurate reconstruction of the air-shower properties. This work presents a novel method to determine the orientation by analyzing periodic variations of the Galactic background noise recorded by the antennas. In particular, we examine noise level variations correlated with the Earth’s rotation and the apparent position of the Galactic Center. The method can provide a potential alternative or augment GPS-based measurements of the alignment of radio antennas at the South Pole.

Original language	English
Article number	308
Journal	Proceedings of Science
Volume	501
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.22323/1.501.0308
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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10.22323/1.501.0308

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@article{00b51f8f993f4bdfafc89cc69c3a79de,

title = "Determining the orientation of radio antennas at the South Pole using Galactic noise measurements",

abstract = "The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a multi-messenger observatory at the South Pole. As preparation for an enhancement of its surface array, IceTop, a prototype station consisting of elevated scintillation panels and radio antennas has been installed and is operating since 2020. The radio antennas detect emissions from cosmic-ray-induced air showers, and their precise orientation is essential for an accurate reconstruction of the air-shower properties. This work presents a novel method to determine the orientation by analyzing periodic variations of the Galactic background noise recorded by the antennas. In particular, we examine noise level variations correlated with the Earth{\textquoteright}s rotation and the apparent position of the Galactic Center. The method can provide a potential alternative or augment GPS-based measurements of the alignment of radio antennas at the South Pole.",

author = "\{Icecube Collaboration\} 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 Balagopal, \{A. V.\} 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 \{Book Motzkin\}, \{J. Y.\} 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 Campana, \{M. A.\} and K. Carloni 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 = "10.22323/1.501.0308",

language = "English",

volume = "501",

journal = "Proceedings of Science",

issn = "1824-8039",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Determining the orientation of radio antennas at the South Pole using Galactic noise measurements

AU - Icecube Collaboration

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. V.

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 - Book Motzkin, J. Y.

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 - Campana, M. A.

AU - Carloni, K.

AU - Kiryluk, J.

PY - 2025/12/30

Y1 - 2025/12/30

N2 - The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a multi-messenger observatory at the South Pole. As preparation for an enhancement of its surface array, IceTop, a prototype station consisting of elevated scintillation panels and radio antennas has been installed and is operating since 2020. The radio antennas detect emissions from cosmic-ray-induced air showers, and their precise orientation is essential for an accurate reconstruction of the air-shower properties. This work presents a novel method to determine the orientation by analyzing periodic variations of the Galactic background noise recorded by the antennas. In particular, we examine noise level variations correlated with the Earth’s rotation and the apparent position of the Galactic Center. The method can provide a potential alternative or augment GPS-based measurements of the alignment of radio antennas at the South Pole.

AB - The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a multi-messenger observatory at the South Pole. As preparation for an enhancement of its surface array, IceTop, a prototype station consisting of elevated scintillation panels and radio antennas has been installed and is operating since 2020. The radio antennas detect emissions from cosmic-ray-induced air showers, and their precise orientation is essential for an accurate reconstruction of the air-shower properties. This work presents a novel method to determine the orientation by analyzing periodic variations of the Galactic background noise recorded by the antennas. In particular, we examine noise level variations correlated with the Earth’s rotation and the apparent position of the Galactic Center. The method can provide a potential alternative or augment GPS-based measurements of the alignment of radio antennas at the South Pole.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105029013681

U2 - 10.22323/1.501.0308

DO - 10.22323/1.501.0308

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:105029013681

SN - 1824-8039

VL - 501

JO - Proceedings of Science

JF - Proceedings of Science

M1 - 308

T2 - 39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025

Y2 - 15 July 2025 through 24 July 2025

ER -

Determining the orientation of radio antennas at the South Pole using Galactic noise measurements

Abstract

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