In Search for Extraterrestrial High Energy Neutrinos

Understand

In this paper we review the search for astrophysical neutrinos.

• We begin by summarizing the various theoretical predictions which correlate the expected neutrino flux with data from other messengers, specifically gammas and ultra-high energy cosmic rays.
• We then review the status and results of neutrino telescopes in operation and decommissioned, the methods used for data analysis and background discrimination.
• Particular attention is devoted to the challenge enforced by the highly uncertain atmospheric muon and neutrino backgrounds in relation to searches of diffuse neutrino fluxes.