Considerations on an underground neutrino radio detector in salt

Abstract

This article presents the possibility of in-salt radio detection of high energy neutrinos, and shows the implications that a heterogeneous propagating medium has on both antenna behaviour, and on constructing the detector. Based on several factors (propagation effects signal to noise ratio, minimum necessary number of triggers, etc.) it was found that observations are limited at a 1022 eV energy threshold. This higher limit allows both neutrino characteristics, and internal structure of the dome to be simultaneously determined. A total number of 40 to 200 events per year is expected when typical sedimentary layers of about 5cm are considered for the internal salt dome structure.