ACED: Physics-informed Geometric Deep Learning for Astrophysical Neutrino Reconstruction in IceCube DeepCore

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $487,503 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Neutrinos are unique messengers, carrying information about the universe's most energetic astrophysical phenomena. Over the past decade, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole has made key discoveries by detecting high-energy neutrinos and identifying two active galaxies as neutrino sources. However, sub-TeV neutrinos (10–1000 GeV) remain a largely unexplored frontier with the potential to significantly expand our observation of the universe. This project leverages advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to overcome computational challenges and improve the reconstruction of sub-TeV neutrinos using IceCube’s DeepCore subdetector. These advancements will enable detailed studies of astrophysical sources such as NGC 1068 at lower energy scales and pave the way for real-time public alerts of sub-TeV neutrinos, fostering coordinated follow-up observations across the electromagnetic spectrum. In addition to advancing neutrino astrophysics, the AI methodologies developed here will benefit a wide range of fields with similar challenges, including weather forecasting, neuroscience, smart cities, and precision farming, by enhancing the analysis of distributed sensor data. By integrating education initiatives, outreach programs, and undergraduate participation, this project promotes access to advanced research, supports STEM, and inspires the next generation of scientists and engineers. This project addresses the computational barriers to sub-TeV neutrino reconst

Key facts

NSF award ID
2435957
Awardee
Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GA)
SAM.gov UEI
EMW9FC8J3HN4
PI
Pan Li
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Windows on the Universe (WoU)
Estimated total
$487,503
Funds obligated
$487,503
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
07/01/2025 → 06/30/2027