grullon_thesis_2010.pdf

 Neutrinos have long been important in particle physics and are now practical tools for astronomy. Neutrino Astrophysics is expected to help answer longstanding astrophys- ical problems such as the origin of cosmic rays and the nature of cosmic accelerators. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a 1 km3 detector currently under construction at the South Pole and will help answer some of these fundamental questions. Search- ing for high energy neutrinos from unresolved astrophysical sources is one of the main analysis techniques used in the search for astrophysical neutrinos with IceCube. A hard energy spectrum of neutrinos from isotropically distributed astrophysical sources could contribute to form a detectable signal above the atmospheric neutrino back- ground. Since astrophysical neutrinos are expected to have a harder energy spectrum than atmospheric neutrinos, a reliable method of estimating the energy of the neutrino- induced lepton is crucial. This analysis uses data from the IceCube detector collected in its half completed configuration between April 2008 and May 2009 to search for a diffuse flux of astrophysical muon neutrinos across the entire northern sky.

• Searching for high energy neutrinos from unresolved astrophysical sources is one of the main analysis techniques used in the search for astrophysical neutrinos with IceCube.
• A hard energy spectrum of neutrinos from isotropically distributed astrophysical sources could contribute to form a detectable signal above the atmospheric neutrino background.
• Since astrophysical neutrinos are expected to have a harder energy spectrum than atmospheric neutrinos, a reliable method of estimating the energy of the neutrinoinduced lepton is crucial.
• This analysis uses data from the IceCube detector collected in its half completed con?guration between April 2008 and May 2009 to search for a di?use ?ux ...