RICE Limits on the Diffuse Ultra-High Energy Neutrino Flux

Abstract

We present new limits on ultra-high energy neutrino fluxes above 100 PeV based on data collected by the Radio Ice Cherenkov Experiment (RICE) at the South Pole from 1999-2005. We discuss estimation of backgrounds, calibration and data analysis algorithms (both on-line and off-line), procedures used for the dedicated neutrino search, and refinements in our Monte Carlo (MC) simulation, including recent in situ measurements of the complex ice dielectric constant. An enlarged data set and a more detailed study of hadronic showers results in a sensitivity improvement of more than one order of magnitude compared to our previously published results. Examination of the full RICE data set yields zero acceptable neutrino candidates, resulting in 95% confidence-level model dependent limits on the flux (E_ν)^2(dϕ/dE_ν)<10^{-6} GeV/(cm^2s~sr}) in the energy range 10^{17}< E_ν< 10^{20} eV. The new RICE results rule out the most intense flux model projections at 95% confidence level.