Search for point sources of high energy neutrinos with final data from AMANDA-II

Abstract

We present a search for point sources of high energy neutrinos using 3.8 yr of data recorded by AMANDA-II during 2000--2006. After reconstructing muon tracks and applying selection criteria designed to optimally retain neutrino-induced events originating in the northern sky, we arrive at a sample of 6595 candidate events, predominantly from atmospheric neutrinos with primary energy 100 GeV to 8 TeV. Our search of this sample reveals no indications of a neutrino point source. We place the most stringent limits to date on ${E}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ neutrino fluxes from points in the northern sky, with an average upper limit of ${E}^{2}{\ensuremath{\Phi}}_{{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}+{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}}\ensuremath{\le}5.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\text{ }{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ on the sum of ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$ fluxes, assumed equal, over the energy range from 1.9 TeV to 2.5 PeV.