Neutrino propagation through Earth: modeling uncertainties using nuPyProp

Author:

Diksha Garg, Mary Hall Reno, Sameer Patel, Alexander Ruestle, Yosui Akaike, Luis A. Anchordoqui, Douglas R. Bergman, Isaac Buckland, Austin L. Cummings, Johannes Eser, Fred Garcia, Claire Guépin, Tobias Heibges, Andrew Ludwig, John F. Krizmanic, Simon Mackovjak, Eric Mayotte, Sonja Mayotte, Angela V. Olinto, Thomas C. Paul, Andrés Romero-Wolf, Frédéric Sarazin, Tonia M. Venters, Lawrence Wiencke, Stephanie Wissel

Keyword:

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph), High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)

journal:

date:

2023-08-24 16:00:00

Abstract

Using the Earth as a neutrino converter, tau neutrino fluxes from astrophysical point sources can be detected by tau-lepton-induced extensive air showers (EASs). Both muon neutrino and tau neutrino induced upward-going EAS signals can be detected by terrestrial, sub-orbital and satellite-based instruments. The sensitivity of these neutrino telescopes can be evaluated with the nuSpaceSim package, which includes the nuPyProp simulation package. The nuPyProp package propagates neutrinos ($\nu_\mu$, $\nu_\tau$) through the Earth to produce the corresponding charged leptons (muons and tau-leptons). We use nuPyProp to quantify the uncertainties from Earth density models, tau depolarization effects and photo-nuclear electromagnetic energy loss models in the charged lepton exit probabilities and their spectra. The largest uncertainties come from electromagnetic energy loss modeling, with as much as a 20-50% difference between the models. We compare nuPyProp results with other simulation package results.

PDF: Neutrino propagation through Earth: modeling uncertainties using nuPyProp.pdf