- Welcome To The IceTop Web page!
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- Sketch of the IceCube detector. Each cross on the surface represents two IceTop tanks.
What are cosmic rays? Or air showers? What does an air shower array do? How does it work? Why does it have to be at the South Pole? And what can we learn by all these immense efforts?
We set out to create this web site to answer these and other questions that you might have about the research program the IceCube collaboration and in particular the IceTop group is carrying out. Over time, we will fill this section with stories and pictures, so feel free to come back and check with us again.
As the amount of information on these pages grow, you might find some things interesting, others puzzling, and yet others not detailed enough. Please, share your impression and experience you have with our web page with us.
And now.... Let the journey begin!
- "Cosmic Rays Unraveled"
A primer to get started. Where do these cosmic rays come from? What do we know about them and what is still a mystery? (under construction).
- "How Do We Measure Cosmic Rays?"
Learn about experimental techniques that go back to the pioneering days of particle physics! (under construction).
- "There are Showers, but no Rain."
You won't get rainbows, but air showers are beautiful! See for yourself! (under construction).
- "Building An Air Shower Array"
Join our team as the photo story follows the progress of the IceTop air shower array from the making to the freezing of our tanks.
- "Down The Rabbit Hole"
IceTop is part of the IceCube neutrino telescope, which is drilled deep into the Antarctic ice plateau.
- "Letter From The Pole"
The South Pole, a tiny remote place in the vast continent of Antarctica. To install our instruments, we have to travel and work there. Read about life on the seventh continent from an IceTopper!
- "Education and Outreach"
A collection of articles and links related to IceTop in the public and media.
- "Glossary"
An explanation of acronyms and terms related to cosmic ray physics.
