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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 17: Neutrino Astronomy I

T 17.3: Talk

Monday, March 16, 2026, 16:45–17:00, KS H C

Understanding Wind Related Background Radio Pulses at the Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland — •Pascal Schriefer for the RNO-G collaboration — ECAP, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

The Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G) aims to detect ultra-high energy (> 10 PeV) neutrinos through pulsed radio signals generated by in-ice particle showers on the basis of the Askaryan effect. 35 independent detector stations are to be built on a grid with a spacing of ∼1.2 km, eight of which are already operational and equipped with antennas at shallow depths in the ice. Even though the detector is being constructed at the very remote summit of Greenland, approximately 3200 m above sea level, background radio signals of different origins are detectable. Especially during periods with high wind speeds (>8−10 m/s), an overwhelming number of radio pulses with signatures comparable to those of neutrino events are detected. This poses a significant issue for the identification of cosmic particles as high wind speeds are not only very common in Greenland, but during the polar winter, wind is the only power source available to keep the stations operational. In this contribution, RNO-G is being introduced and the current state of knowledge about wind-related backgrounds is discussed, including the theorized mechanism and origin of these signals as well as unexplained features and plans of how to further investigate them.

Keywords: RNO-G; Neutrino; Background; Radio; In-Ice