IceCube upgraded with Swedish technology
Deep in the glacier ice at the South Pole lies IceCube, one of the world's most advanced observatories for studying neutrinos that reach us from outer space. Now, a comprehensive upgrade has taken place in which Swedish scientists have played a significant role. The upgrade is expected to lead to new discoveries in neutrino astronomy and particle physics.
Sensors on the way down one of the boreholes. Photo: IceCube/NSF
IceCube, located at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, is an extraordinary telescope using more than 5000 light-sensors distributed over one cubic kilometer of deep Antarctic ice to detect nearly massless particles called neutrinos that reach us from outer space and the Earth atmosphere. Since they rarely interact with matter, neutrinos can provide a lens into otherwise obscured extreme cosmic environments, carrying valuable information about their sources.
Last updated: 2026-03-27
Source: Communications Office