We emphasize the inelasticity distribution of events detected at the IceCube neutrino telescope as an important tool for revealing new physics. This is possible because the unique energy resolution at this facility allows to separately assign the energy fractions for emergent muons and taus in neutrino interactions. As a particular example, we explore the possibility of probing second and third generation leptoquark parameter space (coupling and mass). We show that production of leptoquarks with masses $\gtrsim 250\mathrm{GeV}$ and diagonal generation couplings of $\mathcal{O}(1)$ can be directly tested if the cosmic neutrino flux is at the Waxman-Bahcall level.

• Received 2 October 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.74.125021