Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland

This is a continuation of the PI's grant titled "ViereggNeutrino" that conducted an experiment to determine the radio attenuation length in ice at Summit Station, to understand if the site exhibits similar low-loss properties as have been observed in Antarctica from 2013-2020.

The Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G) will be a large ground-based radio array at Summit Station, with the goal of making the first detection of the highest-energy astrophysical neutrinos. RNO-G will be an array of 35 radio detectors spread in a 1.25 km grid. Each array site includes three strings of 15 antennas deployed 100 m below the surface of the ice and another set of nine antennas on the surface. Renewable-energy-powered array sites will be wirelessly connected via a local LTE cellular network to allow communications to Summit Station and onward to physicists in the US and Europe. The array sites will be calibrated both with transmitters deployed at each site as well as with a transmitter deployed into the DISC borehole during summer fieldwork.

In 2021, participants from the science team and from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) will begin installation of their science array at Summit Station. Although most of the science array components will be installed at off-station locations, participants will sleep at Summit Station each night and will conduct their off-station work as day trips. BAS participants will use the BAS BigRAID ice drill to create three 100-meter-deep boreholes at each array site. This drill will be mounted on a sled provided by the science team; this sled will be towed by heavy equipment between drill sites to allow for efficient transitions without disassembly of the drill. Science team participants will lower antennas into the prepared boreholes using a specialized gantry sled provided by the science team. At each site, the science team will also install surface-based antennas, a renewable-energy power system, and a data logger with communications equipment. At Summit Station, equipment will be installed in the Big House and Mobile Science Facility (MSF). LTE cellular data antennas will be installed on the Big House roof for communication with the array sites, and an associated network-connected radio will be installed inside the Big House office and connected to power and the local network. A server rack will be installed in the MSF, connected to power and the local network, and used for control of the array sites and data archiving. Data products totaling 5 GB / day will be transmitted offsite via the satellite data link. The science team will utilize the Bally Building, with power and a network connection, and an unheated Arctic Oven work tent as on-station workspaces. The RNO-G array will continue science operations after the end of the installation field season and will receive facility support as well as on-site assistance from a Battelle ARO science technician.

In 2022 a team of seven will travel to Summit Station and remain on-station throughout the summer with team member swaps during the summer. In 2023 they will return to Summit for a final year of fieldwork. This science project receives additional support through NSF award 2112352.

Battelle ARO will provide COVID-19 mitigation support (quarantine guidance and testing), Air National Guard coordination for passengers and cargo, Greenland departure fees, Summit Station user days, KISS user days, generators, snowmobiles, heavy equipment support for drill sled, fuel, tents, summer use of the Bally Building, off-station network connectivity, communications equipment, field equipment, field safety gear, and off-season storage. Battelle ARO will provide science technician support and field coordinator support, as well as space, power and network connectivity in the Big House and MSF. Battelle ARO will provide construction support for mounting antennas and the server rack. NSF will recoup costs for this support via reimbursable arrangements with the science team. All other logistics will be arranged and paid for by the research group.