Research Areas - (9) Neutrino Detector Instrumentation

Full path: Astronomy / Astrophysics > Astronomical Instrumentation > Neutrino Detector Instrumentation

Department(s)/lab(s): Institute of Physics (ETAP) | AG Boeser - Neutrino Astronomy (IceCube) @ JGU
Summary:

Boeser works on neutrino astronomy and neutrino properties with the IceCube observatory at the South Pole, including optical-module instrumentation and calibration, ice-optics characterization, and oscillation/sterile-neutrino analyses; the group is also involved in next-generation radio and optical detection concepts. Relative to the established NV-ensemble quantum-sensing playbook (DEER, nanoscale NMR, T1 relaxometry at pT/sqrt(Hz) ensemble sensitivity), the relevance is instrumental rather than quantum-mechanical: photodetection, timing at ns level, and calibration of a km^3-scale detector. Included as an astronomy/astrophysics pivot where the sensor is the experiment.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | IceCube / WIPAC (Hanson group) @ UWMadison
Summary:

Directs the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC); works on IceCube and next-generation neutrino telescope instrumentation for high-energy astroparticle physics.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | IceCube / WIPAC (Karle group) @ UWMadison
Summary:

Astroparticle physicist and long-time IceCube collaborator, working on high-energy neutrino detection instrumentation and analysis at the South Pole.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | IceCube / WIPAC (Lu group) @ UWMadison
Summary:

Astroparticle physicist searching for sources of ultrahigh-energy cosmic particles with IceCube and developing next-generation astroparticle/neutrino detector instrumentation.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics / A&A | Privitera Group @ UChicago
Summary:

Works on quantum-limited sensing for astroparticle physics. Directions: (1) Pierre Auger Observatory — UHE cosmic ray composition and spectrum via radio and fluorescence detection; (2) liquid argon dark matter detectors; (3) co-PI DARPA QuSeN (2025) — quantum sensing of neutrinos using phonon-coupled SC qubit sensors with Cleland and Chou. KICP member.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | Vandenbroucke Group @ UWMadison
Summary:

Astroparticle physicist working on IceCube and the HAWC gamma-ray observatory, developing detector instrumentation and analysis methods for very-high-energy astrophysics.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics / A&A | Vieregg Group @ UChicago
Summary:

Builds radio and mm-wave quantum-limited sensing instruments for high-energy astrophysics and cosmology. Directions: (1) PUEO — balloon-borne radio Cherenkov (Askaryan) detector for ultra-high-energy cosmogenic neutrinos; (2) RNO-G — ground-based radio neutrino array at Summit Station, Greenland; (3) UHE cosmic ray radio detection methodology; (4) CMB instrumentation (BICEP/Keck, SPT, CMB-S4). 2025 APS Fellow; 2022 Moore EPII award. Director KICP.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics | Wakely Group @ UChicago
Summary:

Experimental astroparticle physicist developing radio-based detection of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. Directions: (1) HAWC — high-altitude water Cherenkov detector for gamma-ray and cosmic ray sensing; (2) IceTop surface array at IceCube for cosmic ray composition at the knee; (3) radio detection of cosmic-ray-induced air showers (Askaryan emission) as a technique for large-scale UHE cosmic ray sensing. Enrico Fermi Institute member.

Department(s)/lab(s): Institute of Physics (ETAP) | AG Wurm - Neutrino Physics (JUNO) @ JGU
Summary:

Wurm's group builds and exploits large liquid-scintillator neutrino detectors, principally JUNO (reactor neutrinos, mass ordering) plus low-energy solar and geo-neutrino physics; work spans scintillator chemistry and optical purity, photosensor characterization, and reconstruction. Relative to the established NV-ensemble quantum-sensing playbook (DEER, nanoscale NMR, T1 relaxometry at pT/sqrt(Hz) ensemble sensitivity), included as a detector-instrumentation pivot -- the transferable content is ultra-low-noise photon counting and calibration at scale, not spin physics.