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The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

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Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#11

Post by cozzyd »

Diederich wrote: post #10
nategri wrote: post #2

Recovering astroparticle physics PhD here. I read this news with great interest because I thought they might have finally detected the flux of neutrinos predicted by the GZK process[1]. But, this can't be the case because 1) 10^14 eV is probably on the low side for GZK neutrinos, and (more importantly!) 2) that flux would be fairly isotropic, and not from point source. But still! Exciting results! IceCube is an ambit…

> Recovering astroparticle physics PhD here If I may ask: why 'recovering'?

Presumably he's out in industry making the big bucks now.

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#12

Post by jjoonathan »

Diederich wrote: post #10
nategri wrote: post #2

Recovering astroparticle physics PhD here. I read this news with great interest because I thought they might have finally detected the flux of neutrinos predicted by the GZK process[1]. But, this can't be the case because 1) 10^14 eV is probably on the low side for GZK neutrinos, and (more importantly!) 2) that flux would be fairly isotropic, and not from point source. But still! Exciting results! IceCube is an ambit…

> Recovering astroparticle physics PhD here If I may ask: why 'recovering'?

There's a massive oversupply of people who want to do science vs science that people will pay to have done. Supply and demand are balanced by making the environment so toxic that most leave. Hence 'recovering.'

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#13

Post by dekhn »

cozzyd wrote: post #3
nategri wrote: post #2

Recovering astroparticle physics PhD here. I read this news with great interest because I thought they might have finally detected the flux of neutrinos predicted by the GZK process[1]. But, this can't be the case because 1) 10^14 eV is probably on the low side for GZK neutrinos, and (more importantly!) 2) that flux would be fairly isotropic, and not from point source. But still! Exciting results! IceCube is an ambit…

Nah, the IceCube neutrinos are probably photonuclear with local photons rather than CMB photons.

To translate (correctly, i hope): the neutrinos come from far away and interact with local nuclei, generating photons within the vicinity of the neutrino/nuclear interaction, rather than the photons coming from far away space.

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#14

Post by chris_mc »

dekhn wrote: post #5

My coworker went down to the South Pole to install Debian on the IceCube cluster (funny story: it's hard to cool servers there because the air is really dry) ~14 years ago. Basically, a 48 hour trip both ways just to insert a CD and press reset. We were all jealous.

> just to insert a CD and press reset

That may have been all he did that time, but imagine if stuff had gone sideways, he'd have to troubleshoot it from Antarctica! I thought working from home was bad...

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#15

Post by cozzyd »

dekhn wrote: post #13
cozzyd wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nah, the IceCube neutrinos are probably photonuclear with local photons rather than CMB photons.

To translate (correctly, i hope): the neutrinos come from far away and interact with local nuclei, generating photons within the vicinity of the neutrino/nuclear interaction, rather than the photons coming from far away space.

The opposite, the IceCube neutrinos are likely produced in proton-photon interactions near the source with photons from the source rather than being produced in proton-CMB photon (GZK) interactions elsewhere.

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#16

Post by DannyB2 »

dekhn wrote: post #5

My coworker went down to the South Pole to install Debian on the IceCube cluster (funny story: it's hard to cool servers there because the air is really dry) ~14 years ago. Basically, a 48 hour trip both ways just to insert a CD and press reset. We were all jealous.

I would have thought that for the time and cost of doing that, they could just ship the CD with a booklet of photographic instructions. An instruction manual SO SIMPLE that even a scientist at the South Pole could understand it. Or they could make a video chat call and it could be explained.

(I don't mean scientists are so dumb, but that they might have Antarctic Stare...)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_T3_syndrome

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#17

Post by cozzyd »

chris_mc wrote: post #14
dekhn wrote: post #5

My coworker went down to the South Pole to install Debian on the IceCube cluster (funny story: it's hard to cool servers there because the air is really dry) ~14 years ago. Basically, a 48 hour trip both ways just to insert a CD and press reset. We were all jealous.

> just to insert a CD and press reset That may have been all he did that time, but imagine if stuff had gone sideways, he'd have to troubleshoot it from Antarctica! I thought working from home was bad...

I work on an experiment at the south pole (not IceCube). sshing into fix stuff is painful, even when the "good" satellite is up.

Protip: pressing up several times and then enter is very dangerous since the command that you will actually run may not have appeared on your screen yet.

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#18

Post by dekhn »

DannyB2 wrote: post #16
dekhn wrote: post #5

My coworker went down to the South Pole to install Debian on the IceCube cluster (funny story: it's hard to cool servers there because the air is really dry) ~14 years ago. Basically, a 48 hour trip both ways just to insert a CD and press reset. We were all jealous.

I would have thought that for the time and cost of doing that, they could just ship the CD with a booklet of photographic instructions. An instruction manual SO SIMPLE that even a scientist at the South Pole could understand it. Or they could make a video chat call and it could be explained. (I don't mean scientists are so dumb, but that they might have Antarctic Stare...) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_T3_syndr…

The satellite connections provided only limited communication windows and not enough for video chats.

They have some technical support at the SP but it's not great. In fact, one of my ex-coworkers, a well-respected research scientist, volunteered as a technical support person there (https://davidpablocohn.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBaQtsft2bM). But I think he mostly helped people fix laptops.

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#19

Post by Tiki »

I'm just in awe that we're coordinating events world wide based on particle interactions one of which originated billions of light years away. That we're able to understand a little more about the vast space we live in because of it, the human cooperation, the technology, the amount of curiosity it took to get here, it's beautiful.

Re: The IceCube Neutrino Detector at the South Pole Hits Paydirt

#20

Post by dekhn »

chris_mc wrote: post #14
dekhn wrote: post #5

My coworker went down to the South Pole to install Debian on the IceCube cluster (funny story: it's hard to cool servers there because the air is really dry) ~14 years ago. Basically, a 48 hour trip both ways just to insert a CD and press reset. We were all jealous.

> just to insert a CD and press reset That may have been all he did that time, but imagine if stuff had gone sideways, he'd have to troubleshoot it from Antarctica! I thought working from home was bad...

Yes, that's why he was sent. In case something went wrong, he was qualified to fix it in production. I've come to an appreciation for people who have jobs where they don't do much most of the time, but when the shit hits the fan, they do exactly what was required.
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