Erlangen 2026 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 82: Neutrino Astronomy IV

T 82.1: Talk

Thursday, March 19, 2026, 16:15–16:30, KS H C

Simulation of the atmospheric neutrino production height with CORSIKA 8 — •Tim Schönauer — TU Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany

Atmospheric neutrinos are produced in cosmic-ray air showers. Yet the neutrino production height remains largely unexplored, although it exhibits significant seasonal and regional variability, especially in polar atmospheres where the density profile undergoes strong annual modulation. To investigate the production height of neutrinos, air-shower simulations were carried out using CORSIKA 8, the recently developed C++-based successor to the established CORSIKA framework. Its architecture enabled controlled variation of physical parameters and allowed detailed comparisons with legacy simulations, providing a basis for validation and for identifying deviations introduced by the modernized implementation. The production heights of atmospheric neutrinos were simulated for summer and winter atmospheric profiles at the South Pole and other geographical locations. The resulting distributions quantified the magnitude and energy dependence of seasonal shifts in the neutrino production region and provide refined input for analyses sensitive to atmospheric model uncertainties in present and future neutrino observatories.

Keywords: IceCube; CORSIKA 8; Atmospheric neutrinos; Air-shower simulation