IceCube Upgrade Boosts Neutrino Measurement Power

New optical sensors amplify even weak light signals to enable IceCube to measure lower-energy neutrinos.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The IceCube Observatory at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station has been upgraded with new optical modules that allow it to measure lower-energy neutrinos. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) made significant contributions to this expansion, which includes installing 51 new sensors up to 2,400 meters deep into the Antarctic ice.

Why it matters

The upgrade will extend neutrino astronomy to lower energies, opening a new window onto the universe. It also serves as a test for the proposed expansion to IceCube-Gen2, which aims to increase the measurement volume to 8 cubic kilometers and enable neutrino astronomy at the highest energies.

The details

The new optical sensors, known as mDOMs (multi-PMT digital optical modules), are equipped with photoelectron multipliers that allow a 360-degree view into the ice. This enables the observation of neutrino interactions at lower energies, complementing the KATRIN experiment at KIT. The sensors are installed in 40 cm football-shaped containers and connected via cable harnesses to form chains 1,500 meters long, which are lowered into 2,400-meter-deep shafts melted into the ice.

  • The IceCube Observatory has been delivering groundbreaking measurements of high-energy cosmic neutrinos since 2010.
  • The upgrade, which includes the installation of 51 new sensors, was completed in 2026.

The players

IceCube Observatory

A neutrino observatory located at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, consisting of many detectors embedded in a volume of Antarctic ice measuring approximately one cubic kilometer.

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

A German research university that made significant contributions to the IceCube upgrade, including the development and installation of the new optical sensors.

KATRIN experiment

An experiment at KIT that complements the IceCube upgrade by measuring the properties of neutrinos.

IceCube-Gen2

A proposed expansion of the IceCube Observatory that aims to increase the measurement volume to 8 cubic kilometers and enable neutrino astronomy at the highest energies.

University of Wisconsin, Madison

The lead institution of the IceCube collaboration, which includes around 450 researchers from 58 institutions in 14 countries.

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What they’re saying

“The novelty of the optical sensors in the upgrade is that they are equipped with photoelectron multipliers in all directions, allowing a 360-degree view into the ice. This enables us to observe neutrino interactions at lower energies and thus determine the properties of neutrinos, complementing the KATRIN experiment at KIT.”

— Dr. Andreas Haungs, Scientific director of the IceCube working group at the Institute for Astroparticle Physics at KIT (Mirage News)

“The upgrade will extend neutrino astronomy to lower energies. This not only opens a new window onto the universe, but also serves as a meaningful technology and practical test for the proposed expansion to IceCube-Gen2.”

— Professor Ralph Engel, Head of the Institute for Astroparticle Physics at KIT (Mirage News)

What’s next

IceCube-Gen2, the proposed expansion of the IceCube Observatory, is expected to be presented in Berlin at the end of February 2026. The full application by the Helmholtz Association, which includes KIT and DESY as equal supporting institutions, envisages a total investment of 55 million euros.

The takeaway

The IceCube upgrade demonstrates the ongoing efforts to expand the capabilities of neutrino astronomy, which holds the potential to unlock new insights about the universe. The collaboration between international researchers and the investment in cutting-edge technology like the new optical sensors highlight the scientific community's commitment to advancing this field of study.