Detecting supernova neutrinos in the IceCube Upgrade

Project title: Detecting supernova neutrinos in the IceCube Upgrade
Main applicant: Erin O'Sullivan, High Energy Physics
Grant amount: SEK 4 627 000 for the period 2026-2029

In 2025, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory will begin its first major upgrade in over a decade, enhancing sensitivity to neutrinos in the GeV energy range. This creates a timely opportunity to explore a new regime of astrophysical neutrino emission as the upgraded detector comes online.

This project targets high-energy neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae with dense circumstellar material, a source class predicted to produce GeV–TeV neutrinos but not yet observed. By integrating IceCube’s existing event selections—spanning GeV to PeV—we will build a unified data set tailored for transient searches. This will enable the most sensitive search to date for neutrinos from supernovae.

We will also perform a population analysis of core-collapse supernovae, using statistical tests to identify potential sub-populations of neutrino emitters and to place constraints on theoretical models through stacking analyses. In parallel, we will develop an open-source tool to predict neutrino event rates across energy regimes, supporting model interpretation and future analyses.

This project positions Sweden to lead key scientific efforts with the IceCube Upgrade and aims to reveal new insight into the physics of stellar explosions and the origin of cosmic rays.