Neutrino Telescope Projects Research Articles

Baksan large neutrino telescope: current status

The status of the Baksan Large Neutrino Telescope project and some selective results of the first stage of the project, namely a prototype detector with a liquid scintillator mass of 0.5 tons are described. The results of the second stage of the project, a prototype with a liquid scintillator mass of 5 tons, and the prospects for the project are discussed.

Enrico Bellotti: a leader in underground physics

Enrico Bellotti: a leader in underground physics

Exploring the Universe with Very High Energy Neutrinos

With the discovery of a high-energy neutrino flux in the 0.1 PeV to PeV range from beyond the Earth's atmosphere with the IceCube detector, neutrino astronomy has achieved a major breakthrough in the exploration of the high-energy universe. One of the main goals is the identification and investigation of the still mysterious sources of the cosmic rays which are observed at Earth with energies up to several 105 PeV. In addition to being smoking-gun evidence for the presence of cosmic rays in a specific object, neutrinos escape even dense environments and can reach us from distant places in the universe, thereby providing us with a unique tool to explore cosmic accelerators. This article summarizes our knowledge about the observed astrophysical neutrino flux and current status of the search for individual cosmic neutrino sources. At the end, it gives an overview of plans for future neutrino telescope projects.

Gamma-ray and Neutrino Fluxes from Heavy Dark Matter in the Galactic Center

We present a study of the Galactic Center region as a possible source of both secondary gamma-ray and neutrino fluxes from annihilating dark matter. We have studied the gamma-ray flux observed by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) from the J1745-290 Galactic Center source. The data are well fitted as annihilating dark matter in combination with an astrophysical background. The analysis was performed by means of simulated gamma spectra produced by Monte Carlo event generators packages. We analyze the differences in the spectra obtained by the various Monte Carlo codes developed so far in particle physics. We show that, within some uncertainty, the HESS data can be fitted as a signal from a heavy dark matter density distribution peaked at the Galactic Center, with a power-law for the background with a spectral index which is compatible with the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) data from the same region. If this kind of dark matter distribution generates the gamma-ray flux observed by HESS, we also expect to observe a neutrino flux. We show prospective results for the observation of secondary neutrinos with the Astronomy with a Neutrino Telescope and Abyss environmental RESearch project (ANTARES), Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory (Ice Cube) and the Cubic Kilometer Neutrino Telescope (KM3NeT). Prospects solely depend on the device resolution angle when its effective area and the minimum energy threshold are fixed.

NEUTRINOS AS COSMIC MESSENGERS IN THE ERA OF ICECUBE, ANTARES AND KM3NET

Using neutrinos as cosmic messengers for observation of non-thermal processes in the Universe is a highly attractive and promising vision, which has been pursued in various neutrino telescope projects for more than two decades. Recent results from ground-based TeV gamma-ray observatories and refinements of model calculations of the expected neutrino fluxes indicate that Gigaton target volumes will be necessary to establish neutrino astronomy. A first neutrino telescope of that size, IceCube, is operational at the South Pole. Based on experience with the smaller first-generation ANTARES telescope in the Mediterranean Sea, the multi-Gigaton KM3NeT device is in preparation. These neutrino telescopes are presented, and some selected results and the expected KM3NeT performance are discussed.

NEUTRINOS AS COSMIC MESSENGERS IN THE ERA OF ICECUBE, ANTARES AND KM3NET

Using neutrinos as cosmic messengers for observation of non-thermal processes in the Universe is a highly attractive and promising vision, which has been pursued in various neutrino telescope projects for more than two decades. Recent results from ground-based TeV gamma-ray observatories and refinements of model calculations of the expected neutrino fluxes indicate that Gigaton target volumes will be necessary to establish neutrino astronomy. A first neutrino telescope of that size, IceCube, is operational at the South Pole. Based on experience with the smaller first-generation ANTARES telescope in the Mediterranean Sea, the multi-Gigaton KM3NeT device is in preparation. These neutrino telescopes are presented, and some selected results and the expected KM3NeT performance are discussed.

The KM3NeT project: status and perspectives

Abstract. KM3NeT is an international consortium involving more than 300 scientists from 10 EU countries. Its main objective is the construction of a multi-km3 high-energy neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea that will also host an interdisciplinary observatory for marine sciences. KM3NeT has been included in the roadmap of the European Strategy Forum of Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). Very high energy neutrinos are important messengers to study non-thermal phenomena in the Universe. The pioneering ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR underwater neutrino telescope projects include the extensive R&D knowledge base behind the KM3NeT project. A Technical Design Report has been published that describes the technological solutions chosen for the detector. The present status of the project is presented.

Underwater Neutrino Detection in the Mediterranean Sea: From Present to Future

The observation of high-energy extraterrestrial neutrinos is one of the most promising future options to increase our knowledge of non-thermal processes in the universe. Neutrinos are e.g. unavoidably produced in environments where high-energy hadrons collide; in particular this is almost certainly true at astrophysical accelerators of cosmic rays, which thus could be identified unambiguously by sky observations in “neutrino light”. To establish neutrino astronomy beyond the detection of single events, neutrino telescopes of km 3 scale are needed. In order to obtain full sky coverage, a corresponding detector in the Mediterranean Sea is required to complement the IceCube experiment currently under construction at the South Pole. The groups pursuing the current neutrino telescope projects in the Mediterranean Sea, ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR, have joined to prepare this future installation in a 3-year, EU-funded Design Study named KM3NeT (in the following, this name will also denote the future detector). This report highlights some scientific key questions, addresses the status of current projects and outlines the path towards the realization of KM3NeT.

Studies of an alternative glass pressure housing for optical modules in the KM3NeT neutrino telescope

KM3NeT is a future European research infrastructure, which will host a neutrino telescope with a volume of at least 1 Km 3 in the deep Mediterranean Sea. This challenging project will require the installation of thousands of photon detectors with their related electronics and calibration systems several kilometres below the sea level. The design builds on the extensive experience gained in the pioneering ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR underwater neutrino telescope projects. However, independent of the technical and scientific challenges inherent to such a project, new solutions must be pursued in order to significantly increase the cost effectiveness. This contribution presents the first results of a finite element analysis (FEA) performed at CPPM, in association with the Schott glass R&D department, for an alternative low cost glass pressure housing for optical modules in the KM3NeT neutrino telescope.

KM3NeT: Toward a cubic kilometre volume neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea

High energy neutrino astronomy is emerging as one of the most exciting options for studying astrophysical processes. To establish neutrino detectability from specific sources, neutrino telescopes of km 3 scale are needed. In order to complement the IceCube detector currently under construction in the South Pole, a corresponding Northern Hemisphere detector is needed. The three neutrino telescope projects in the Mediterranean, ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR have joined forces in order to develop, prepare, construct and operate such a research facility, KM3NeT. To this end, the EU is funding a 3-year design study. In the present paper, the status of the design study is presented and options for the various technical problems are discussed.

KM3NeT: a large underwater neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean sea

High energy neutrinos produced in astrophysical processes will allow for a new way of studying the universe. In order to detect the expected flux of high energy neutrinos from specific astrophysical sources, neutrino telescopes of a scale of a km3 of water will be needed. A Northern Hemisphere detector is being proposed to be sited in a deep area of the Mediterranean Sea. This detector will provide complimentary sky coverage to the IceCube detector being built at the South Pole. The three neutrino telescope projects in the Mediterranean (ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR) are partners in an effort to design, and build such a km3 size neutrino telescope, the KM3NeT. The EU is funding a 3-year Design Study; the status of the Design Study is presented and some technical issues are discussed.

KM3NeT, a new generation neutrino telescope

To establish neutrino astronomy beyond the detection of single events, telescopes of cubic kilometer scale are needed. The IceCube neutrino telescope currently being built at the South Pole will be the first telescope with a detection volume of this size. In order to obtain full sky coverage, the construction of a corresponding telescope in the Northern hemisphere is being prepared. Since February 2006, the ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR neutrino telescope projects have joined forces in the KM3NeT Design Study, supported by the European Commission in the FP6 framework, with the aim of compiling a technical design report for the construction of a neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea with a detection volume of at least a cubic kilometer. In addition the KM3NeT facility will house a long-term cabled observatory for marine sciences. This report will focus on the status of the Design Study and highlight some of the concepts being studied.

Status of ANTARES in Nov 2005

This article reports on the status of the ANTARES Neutrino Telescope project as of November 2005. The highlights of the activities during 2005 are the deployment and operation of an instrumentation line which has been taking data since April 2005 and the deployment of a complete mechanical test line in the spring of 2005. The first data from the operation of the instrumentation line is presented. The status report gives the plans for the construction of the full ANTARES detector which is planned for completion in 2007.

KM3NeT: Towards a km3 Mediterranean neutrino telescope

The observation of high-energy extraterrestrial neutrinos is one of the most promising future options to increase our knowledge on non-thermal processes in the universe. Neutrinos are e.g. unavoidably produced in environments where high-energy hadrons collide; in particular, this almost certainly must be true in the astrophysical accelerators of cosmic rays, which thus could be identified unambiguously by sky observations in “neutrino light”. To establish neutrino astronomy beyond the detection of single events, neutrino telescopes of km3 scale are needed. In order to obtain full sky coverage, a corresponding detector in the Mediterranean Sea is required to complement the IceCube experiment currently under construction at the South Pole. The groups pursuing the current neutrino telescope projects in the Mediterranean Sea, ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR, have joined to prepare this future installation in a 3-year, EU-funded design study named KM3NeT (in the following, this name will also denote the future detector). This report will highlight some of the physics issues to be addressed with KM3NeT and will outline the path towards its realisation, with a focus on the upcoming design study.

Neutrino telescopy in the Mediterranean Sea

The observation of high-energy extraterrestrial neutrinos is one of the most promising future options to increase our knowledge on non-thermal processes in the universe. Neutrinos are e.g. unavoidably produced in environments where high-energy hadrons collide; in particular this almost certainly must be true in the astrophysical accelerators of cosmic rays, which thus could be identified unambiguously by sky observations in “neutrino light”. On the one hand, neutrinos are ideal messengers for astrophysical observations since they are not deflected by electromagnetic fields and interact so weakly that they are able to escape even from very dense production regions and traverse large distances in the universe without attenuation. On the other hand, their weak interaction poses a significant problem for detecting neutrinos. Huge target masses up to gigatons must be employed, requiring to instrument natural abundances of media such as sea water or Antarctic ice. The first generation of such neutrino telescopes is taking data or will do so in the near future, while the second-generation projects with cubic-kilometre sizes are under construction or being prepared. This report focuses on status and prospects of current (ANTARES, NEMO, NESTOR) and future (KM3NeT) neutrino telescope projects in the Mediterranean Sea.

Development of an electronic board for a neutrino telescope project

The NEMO (NEutrino Mediterranean Observatory) collaboration is involved in research and development for the construction of an underwater km 3 scale Cherenkov neutrino detector. The detector will consist of about four thousands of optical modules that interface with coaxial cables to electronics cards. The detector is connected to the shore by an electro-optical cable for data transmission and power supply. The board also provides signal synchronization, filtering, data compression and packing. We describe the details of this electronic control part, which has been developed using commercial components and the very high-speed, Hardware Description Language (VHDL). The design was implemented on a programmable device. A test-bench system was also designed using a PC-based acquisition board running on the National Instrument LabVIEW environment.

Status of Radio and Acoustic Detection of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Neutrinos and a Proposal on Reporting Results

Neutrino astronomy offers the possibility to perform extra-galactic observations well beyond the photon absorption cutoff above 5 × 1013 eV. Based on observations of cosmic rays, we already know that astrophysical sources produce particles with at least a million times more energy than this photon cutoff. Once discovered, either the nature of the sources themselves or the cross sections of ultra-high energy neutrinos with terrestrial matter may reveal exotic physical processes that are inaccessible to modern accelerators. Some of these processes may be due to as-yet unknown physics at the grand unification scale or beyond. Neutrino telescopes based on optical techniques currently operating and under construction have apertures measured in several km3-sr. Radio and acoustic detection techniques have been demonstrated in laboratory experiments and are currently used for instrumentation of apertures 10 to 10,000 times larger than optical techniques for neutrinos above 1016 eV. I discuss the status of current and proposed neutrino telescope projects based on these techniques. These telescopes have already ruled out some of the more exotic predictions for neutrino intensity. The upcoming generation of radio-based and acoustic-based detectors should be sensitive to cosmic neutrinos above 1018 eV originating through the so-called GZK process. A comparison of different neutrino telescopes using a common aperture variable shows how they are complementary in the trade-offs of volume versus threshold. I include a proposal for how neutrino telescopes should report their sensitivities to facilitate direct comparisons among them and to allow testing of neutrino brightness models that appear even after publication of the experimental results.

Neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean

This review presents the scientific objectives and status of Neutrino Telescope Projects under construction in the Mediterranean Sea. The science program of these projects covers: neutrino astronomy, dark matter searches and measurements of neutrino oscillations. The status of the two related water Cherenkov projects ANTARES and NEMO will be described together with the status of the NESTOR telescope. A comparison between underwater and under-ice neutrino telescopes will be given.

Neutrino telescopes

This review presents the scientific objectives and status of Neutrino Telescope Projects. The science program of these projects covers: neutrino astronomy, dark matter searches and measurements of neutrino oscillations. The two neutrino telescopes in operation: AMANDA and BAIKAL will be described together with the ANTARES neutrino telescope being built in the Mediterranean.

A new neutrino telescope project HANUL

A new neutrino telescope project, HANUL, is a proposal to explore high energy neutrinos from various cosmic accelerators. The proposed detector is a muon magnetic spectrometer with Cerenkov detectors to measure the sign and momentum of the upward going muons generated by charged current interactions of neutrinos inside the Earth. The area covered by the active detectors is about 1,000 m 2 and the detectors are to be made of many small modules. We will discuss what is unique about this proposal compared with other neutrino telescope projects.