POEMMA’s Target of Opportunity Sensitivity to Cosmic Neutrino Transient Sources. (arXiv:1906.07209v1 [astro-ph.HE])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Venters_T/0/1/0/all/0/1">Tonia M. Venters</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Reno_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Mary Hall Reno</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Krizmanic_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">John F. Krizmanic</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Anchordoqui_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">Luis A. Anchordoqui</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Guepin_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">Claire Guépin</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Olinto_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Angela V. Olinto</a>
We calculate the sensitivity of space-based cosmic neutrino detection from
transient sources in the context of the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger
Astrophysics (POEMMA) mission using Target-of-Opportunity (ToO) observations.
POEMMA uses two spacecraft each with a large Schmidt telescope to
simultaneously view the optical signals generated by extensive air showers
(EASs). POEMMA is designed for both ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray and
very-high-energy neutrino measurements. POEMMA has significant neutrino
sensitivity starting in the 10 PeV decade via measurements of Cherenkov signals
from upward-moving EASs initiated by tau neutrinos interacting in the Earth.
For ToO observations, POEMMA uses the ability to quickly repoint ($90^circ$ in
500 s) each of the two spacecraft to the direction of the transient source.
POEMMA EAS measurements are performed during astronomical night, leading to
different observational constraints for short- and long-duration bursts. For
short-bursts of order $10^3$ s, POEMMA will increase the sensitivity of
existing experiments (e.g., IceCube and the Pierre Auger Observatory) by up to
two orders of magnitude. For long-duration bursts on the scale of $10^{5-6}$ s,
the full celestial sky is available and the average neutrino sensitivity will
be increased by up to a factor of 50, reaching the desired level to probe model
predictions of transient neutrino sources (e.g., of blazar flares as well as
both black hole-black hole and neutron star-neutron star mergers). POEMMA’s
neutrino sensitivity to various models of transient neutrino sources are
detailed. Altogether, our results demonstrate better sensitivity to ToO
neutrino sources from the space-based POEMMA experiment compared to current
ground-based experiments, and more importantly, demonstrate unique full-sky
coverage for ToO neutrino sources.
We calculate the sensitivity of space-based cosmic neutrino detection from
transient sources in the context of the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger
Astrophysics (POEMMA) mission using Target-of-Opportunity (ToO) observations.
POEMMA uses two spacecraft each with a large Schmidt telescope to
simultaneously view the optical signals generated by extensive air showers
(EASs). POEMMA is designed for both ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray and
very-high-energy neutrino measurements. POEMMA has significant neutrino
sensitivity starting in the 10 PeV decade via measurements of Cherenkov signals
from upward-moving EASs initiated by tau neutrinos interacting in the Earth.
For ToO observations, POEMMA uses the ability to quickly repoint ($90^circ$ in
500 s) each of the two spacecraft to the direction of the transient source.
POEMMA EAS measurements are performed during astronomical night, leading to
different observational constraints for short- and long-duration bursts. For
short-bursts of order $10^3$ s, POEMMA will increase the sensitivity of
existing experiments (e.g., IceCube and the Pierre Auger Observatory) by up to
two orders of magnitude. For long-duration bursts on the scale of $10^{5-6}$ s,
the full celestial sky is available and the average neutrino sensitivity will
be increased by up to a factor of 50, reaching the desired level to probe model
predictions of transient neutrino sources (e.g., of blazar flares as well as
both black hole-black hole and neutron star-neutron star mergers). POEMMA’s
neutrino sensitivity to various models of transient neutrino sources are
detailed. Altogether, our results demonstrate better sensitivity to ToO
neutrino sources from the space-based POEMMA experiment compared to current
ground-based experiments, and more importantly, demonstrate unique full-sky
coverage for ToO neutrino sources.
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