Story perspectives

ARA Confirms Askaryan Radiation with 13 Cosmic-Ray Detections

4/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Askaryan Radio Array (ARA) Collaboration detected in-ice radio signals from high-energy cosmic rays, confirming Askaryan radiation.
In 208 days of 2019 observations, the team recorded 13 anomalous events that matched the rate, direction, shape, spectrum and polarization of in-ice Askaryan radiation.
Analyses excluded background noise, South Pole Station communications and aircraft, assigned a 5.1-sigma confidence level, and published the results in Physical Review Letters, supporting ARA’s neutrino-detection mission.

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Story summary

The Askaryan Radio Array (ARA) Collaboration detected in-ice radio signals from high-energy cosmic rays, confirming Askaryan radiation.
In 208 days of 2019 observations, the team recorded 13 anomalous events that matched the rate, direction, shape, spectrum and polarization of in-ice Askaryan radiation.
Analyses excluded background noise, South Pole Station communications and aircraft, assigned a 5.1-sigma confidence level, and published the results in Physical Review Letters, supporting ARA’s neutrino-detection mission.