Targets of Opportunity with POEMMA

ORAL

Abstract

Cosmic-ray accelerators capable of reaching ultra-high energies are expected to also produce very-high energy neutrinos via hadronic interactions within the source. Many of the candidate astrophysical source classes are either transient in nature or exhibit flaring activity. Leveraging the Earth as a neutrino converter, the Probe of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA) will be able to detect cosmic tau neutrinos at energies ~ 10 PeV and above. As a space-based mission, POEMMA will have orbital characteristics and slewing capability that will ensure full-sky coverage and enable rapid follow up, making it uniquely suited for searching for neutrinos from astrophysical transient events. We present the latest results of a study exploring the prospects of detecting tau neutrino events with POEMMA from a variety of astrophysical transient source classes and potential backgrounds during Target-of-Opportunity observations.

Authors

  • Tonia Venters

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA/GSFC

  • Mary Hall Reno

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, The University of Iowa, University of Iowa, Univ of Iowa

  • John K Krizmanic

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, CRESST/NASA GSFC/UMBC, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and University of Maryland, Baltimore County, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, UMBC/CRESST/NASA/GSFC, Univ. of Maryland, NASA – Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and University of Maryland

  • Luis Anchordoqui

    City University of New York, Lehman College, CUNY/AMNH

  • Claire Guépin

    JSI/UMd

  • Angela V Olinto

    University of Chicago