專題演講 Seminar

2026/08/13(Thu)     11:00 -12:30    七樓研討室 7F, P7A Seminar Room

Title

Probing Hadronic Interactions in Extensive Air Showers

Speaker

Prof.Dennis Soldin (University of Utah)

Abstract

Cosmic rays are charged particles that enter the Earth’s atmosphere with the highest
energies observed in the Universe, and they are closely linked to some of the most funda-
mental questions in astroparticle physics. Despite decades of research, large uncertainties
in the understanding of cosmic rays remain due to the experimental challenges involved
in their detection. When cosmic rays collide with atmospheric nuclei, they produce large
cascades of secondary particles known as extensive air showers. The properties of the
primary cosmic ray – such as its energy and mass – must be inferred indirectly from the
particles that reach the ground, a process that relies heavily on theoretical models. Recent
measurements of cosmic rays have revealed significant discrepancies between experimen-
tal data and model predictions, indicating severe shortcomings in our understanding of
particle interactions at high energies.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory (IceCube) is located at the geographic South Pole
and it consists of a cubic-kilometer Cherenkov detector deep in the Antarctic ice, accom-
panied by a surface detector array. This hybrid detector setup yields unique opportunities
to study cosmic rays and thereby improve our understanding of particle interactions at
the highest energies. In this talk, I will present recent results of cosmic-ray measurements
with IceCube and discuss their implications for fundamental physics at the intersection
between cosmic-ray and particle physics.

Language

演講語言 (Language): in English