Ultra-High Energy Neutrinos at the Pierre Auger Observatory

AUGER COLLABORATION (VER F. SANCHEZ EN PUBL. ADJUNTA)

Advances in High Energy Physics

Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Año: 2012

1687-7357

The observation of ultra-high energy neutrinos (UHE neutrinos) has become a priority in experimental astroparticle physics. UHE neutrinos can be detected with a variety of techniques. In particular, neutrinos can in- 9 teract in the atmosphere (downward-going neutrino) or in the Earth crust (Earth-skimming), producing air showers that can be observed with arrays of detectors at the ground. With the Surface Detector Array of 12 the Pierre Auger Observatory we can detect these types of cascades. The distinguishing signature for neutrino events is the presence of very inclined showers produced close to the ground (i.e. after having traversed a large amount of atmosphere). In this work we review the procedure and criteria established to search for UHE neutrinos in the data collected with the ground array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. This 18 includes Earth-skimming as well as downward-going neutrinos. No neutrino candidates have been found, which allows us to place competitive limits to the diffuse flux of UHE neutrinos in the EeV range and above.