Impact of Surface Radio Antenna Orientation Using Galactic Noise Measurements

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, located at the South Pole, is a facility for detecting high-energy cosmic particles. In addition to its array of optical sensors embedded in the ice, the observatory includes IceTop, a surface array designed to detect shower particles generated by high-energy cosmic rays interacting in the atmosphere. IceTop employs radio antennas to capture signals from cosmic-ray-induced particle cascades. Precise knowledge of the orientation and calibration of these radio antennas is essential for accurately measuring the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. A new method to estimate orientation of the radio antennas by leveraging galactic background noise will be discussed. We investigate the variation of galactic noise levels as a function of Earth's rotation and the apparent position of the galactic plane within the field of view of the antennas, applying data filtering techniques to effectively isolate the galactic noise component. Improved calibration can contribute to an improvement in sensitivity, leading to more accurate measurements and improved performance of the IceCube surface array.