Joint Astrophysics Colloquium

The Search for Ultra-High Energy Neutrinos with ANITA

Abby Vieregg

Harvard CfA

Ultra-high energy neutrino astronomy is a rapidly emerging field at the crossroads of particle physics and astrophysics. The ANITA (ANtarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna) experiment is a balloon-borne radio telescope, designed to detect coherent Cherenkov emission from cosmogenic ultra-high energy neutrinos. ANITA has had two successful Long Duration Balloon flights in Antarctica. I will present the results from the first two flights of ANITA, including the search for ultra-high energy neutrinos, a more sensitive search for neutrinos coincident with gamma-ray bursts, and the unexpected detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. I will also discuss plans and the status of preparations for the upcoming third flight of ANITA.