In situ estimation of ice crystal properties at the South Pole using LED calibration data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory
Authors: Abbasi Rasha , Ackermann Markus , Adams Jenni , Aggarwal Nakul , Aguilar Juanan , Ahlers Markus , Ahrens Maryon , Alameddine Jean-Marco , Alves Junior Antonio Augusto , Amin Najia Moureen Binte , Andeen Karen , Anderson Tyler , Anton Gisela , Argüelles Carlos , Ashida Yosuke , Athanasiadou Sofia , Axani Spencer , Bai Xinhua , Balagopal V Aswathi , Baricevic Moreno , Barwick Steve , Basu Vedant , Bay Ryan , Beatty James , Becker Karl Heinz , Becker Tjus Julia , Beise Jakob , Bellenghi Chiara , Benda Samuel , BenZvi Segev , Berley David , Bernardini Elisa , Besson Dave , Binder Gary , Bindig Daniel , Blaufuss Erik , Blot Summer , Bontempo Federico , Book Julia , Borowka Jürgen , Boscolo Meneguolo Caterina , Böser Sebastian , Botner Olga , Böttcher Jakob , Bourbeau Etienne , Braun Jim , Brinson Bennett , Brostean-Kaiser Jannes , Burley Ryan , Busse Raffaela , Campana Michael , Carnie-Bronca Erin , Chen Chujie , Chen Zheyang , Chirkin Dmitry , Choi Koun , Clark Brian , Classen Lew , Coleman Alan , Collin Gabriel , Connolly Amy , Conrad Janet , Coppin Paul , Correa Pablo , Countryman Stefan , Cowen Doug , Cross Robert , Dappen Christian , Dave Pranav , De Clercq Catherine , DeLaunay James , Delgado López Diyaselis , Dembinski Hans , Deoskar Kunal , Desai Abhishek , Desiati Paolo , de Vries Krijn , de Wasseige Gwenhael , DeYoung Tyce , Diaz Alejandro , Díaz-Vélez Juan Carlos , Dittmer Markus , Dujmovic Hrvoje , DuVernois Michael , Ehrhardt Thomas , Eller Philipp , Engel Ralph , Erpenbeck Hannah , Evans John , Evenson Paul , Fan Kwok Lung , Fazely Ali , Fedynitch Anatoli , Feigl Nora , Fiedlschuster Sebastian , Fienberg Aaron , Finley Chad , Fischer Leander , Fox Derek , Franckowiak Anna , Friedman Elizabeth , Fritz Alexander , Fürst Philipp , Gaisser Tom , Gallagher Jay , Ganster Erik , Garcia Alfonso , Garrappa Simone , Gerhardt Lisa , Ghadimi Ava , Glaser Christian , Glüsenkamp Thorsten , Glauch Theo , Goehlke Noah , Gonzalez Javier , Goswami Sreetama , Grant Darren , Gray Shannon , Grégoire Timothée , Griswold Spencer , Günther Christoph , Gutjahr Pascal , Haack Christian , Hallgren Allan , Halliday Robert , Halve Lasse , Halzen Francis , Hamdaoui Hassane , Ha Minh Martin , Hanson Kael , Hardin John , Harnisch Alexander , Hatch Patrick , Haungs Andreas , Helbing Klaus , Hellrung Jonas , Henningsen Felix , Heuermann Lars , Hickford Stephanie , Hill Colton , Hill Gary , Hoffman Kara , Hoshina Kotoyo , Hou Wenjie , Huber Thomas , Hultqvist Klas , Hünnefeld Mirco , Hussain Raamis , Hymon Karolin , In Seongjin , Iovine Nadege , Ishihara Aya , Jansson Matti , Japaridze George , Jeong Minjin , Jin Miaochen , Jones Ben , Kang Donghwa , Kang Woosik , Kang Xinyue , Kappes Alexander , Kappesser David , Kardum Leonora , Karg Timo , Karl Martina , Karle Albrecht , Katz Uli , Kauer Matt , Kelley John , Kheirandish Ali , Kin Ken'ichi , Kiryluk Joanna , Klein Spencer , Kochocki Alina , Koirala Ramesh , Kolanoski Hermann , Kontrimas Tomas , Köpke Lutz , Kopper Claudio , Koskinen Jason , Koundal Paras , Kovacevich Michael , Kowalski Marek , Kozynets Tetiana , Krupczak Emmett , Kun Emma , Kurahashi Naoko , Lad Neha , Lagunas Gualda Cristina , Larson Michael , Lauber Frederik , Lazar Jeffrey , Lee Jiwoong , Leonard Kayla , Leszczyńska Agnieszka , Lincetto Massimiliano , Liu Qinrui , Liubarska Maria , Lohfink Elisa , Love Christina , Lozano Mariscal Cristian Jesus , Lu Lu , Lucarelli Francesco , Ludwig Andrew , Luszczak William , Lyu Yang , Ma Wing Yan , Madsen Jim , Mahn Kendall , Makino Yuya , Mancina Sarah , Marie Sainte Wenceslas , Mariş Ioana , Marka Szabolcs , Marka Zsuzsa , Marsee Matthew , Martinez-Soler Ivan , Maruyama Reina , McElroy Thomas , McNally Frank , Mead James Vincent , Meagher Kevin , Mechbal Sarah , Medina Andres , Meier Maximilian , Meighen-Berger Stephan , Merckx Yarno , Micallef Jessie , Mockler Daniela , Montaruli Teresa , Moore Roger , Morse Bob , Moulai Marjon , Mukherjee Tista , Naab Richard , Nagai Ryo , Naumann Uwe , Nayerhoda Amid , Necker Jannis , Neumann Miriam , Niederhausen Hans , Nisa Mehr , Nowicki Sarah , Obertacke Pollmann Anna , Oehler Marie , Oeyen Bob , Olivas Alex , Orsoe Rasmus , Osborn Jesse , O'Sullivan Erin , Pandya Hershal , Pankova Daria , Park Nahee , Parker Grant , Paudel Ek Narayan , Paul Larissa , Pérez de los Heros Carlos , Peters Lilly , Peterson Josh , Philippen Saskia , Pieper Sarah , Pizzuto Alex , Plum Matthias , Popovych Yuiry , Porcelli Alessio , Prado Rodriguez Maria , Pries Brandon , Procter-Murphy Rachel , Przybylski Gerald , Raab Christoph , Rack-Helleis John , Rameez Mohamed , Rawlins Katherine , Rechav Zoe , Rehman Abdul , Reichherzer Patrick , Renzi Giovanni , Resconi Elisa , Reusch Simeon , Rhode Wolfgang , Richman Mike , Riedel Benedikt , Roberts Ella , Robertson Sally , Rodan Steven , Roellinghoff Gerrit , Rongen Martin , Rott Carsten , Ruhe Tim , Ruohan Li , Ryckbosch Dirk , Rysewyk Cantu Devyn , Safa Ibrahim , Saffer Julian , Salazar-Gallegos Daniel , Sampathkumar Pranav , Sanchez Herrera Sebastian , Sandrock Alexander , Santander Marcos , Sarkar Sourav , Sarkar Subir , Schaufel Merlin , Schieler Harald , Schindler Sebastian , Schlüter Berit , Schmidt Torsten , Schneider Judith , Schröder Frank , Schumacher Lisa , Schwefer Georg , Sclafani Steve , Seckel Dave , Seunarine Surujhdeo , Sharma Ankur , Shefali Shefali , Shimizu Nobuhiro , Silva Manuel , Skrzypek Barbara , Smithers Ben , Snihur Robert , Soedingrekso Jan , Søgaard Andreas , Soldin Dennis , Spannfellner Christian , Spiczak Glenn , Spiering Christian , Stamatikos Michael , Stanev Todor , Stein Robert , Stezelberger Thorsten , Stürwald Timo , Stuttard Thomas , Sullivan Greg , Taboada Ignacio , Ter-Antonyan Samvel , Thompson Will , Thwaites Jessie , Tilav Serap , Tollefson Kirsten , Tönnis Christoph , Toscano Simona , Tosi Delia , Trettin Alexander , Tung Chun Fai , Turcotte Roxanne , Twagirayezu Jean Pierre , Ty Bunheng , Unland Elorrieta Martin , Upshaw Karriem , Valtonen-Mattila Nora , Vandenbroucke Justin , van Eijndhoven Nick , Vannerom David , van Santen Jakob , Vara Javi , Veitch-Michaelis Joshua , Verpoest Stef , Veske Doga , Walck Christian , Wang Winnie , Watson Timothy Blake , Weaver Chris , Weigel Philip , Weindl Andreas , Weldert Jan , Wendt Chris , Werthebach Johannes , Weyrauch Mark , Whitehorn Nathan , Wiebusch Christopher , Willey Nathan , Williams Dawn , Wolf Martin , Wrede Gerrit , Wulff Johan , Xu Xianwu , Yanez Juan Pablo , Yildizci Emre , Yoshida Shigeru , Yu Shiqi , Yuan Tianlu , Zhang Zelong , Zhelnin Pavel 
Published: January 2024

Abstract. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory instruments about 1 km3 of deep, glacial ice at the geographic South Pole. It uses 5160 photomultipliers to detect Cherenkov light emitted by charged relativistic particles. An unexpected light propagation effect observed by the experiment is an anisotropic attenuation, which is aligned with the local flow direction of the ice. We examine birefringent light propagation through the polycrystalline ice microstructure as a possible explanation for this effect. The predictions of a first-principles model developed for this purpose, in particular curved light trajectories resulting from asymmetric diffusion, provide a qualitatively good match to the main features of the data. This in turn allows us to deduce ice crystal properties. Since the wavelength of the detected light is short compared to the crystal size, these crystal properties include not only the crystal orientation fabric, but also the average crystal size and shape, as a function of depth. By adding small empirical corrections to this first-principles model, a quantitatively accurate description of the optical properties of the IceCube glacial ice is obtained. In this paper, we present the experimental signature of ice optical anisotropy observed in IceCube light-emitting diode (LED) calibration data, the theory and parameterization of the birefringence effect, the fitting procedures of these parameterizations to experimental data, and the inferred crystal properties.