3 rd Workshop on Very Large Volume Neutrino

3 rd Workshop on Very Large Volume Neutrino Telescopes (VLVn. T 08), Toulon, France, April 22 -24, 2008 Status of the KM 3 Ne. T Project Uli Katz ECAP / Univ. Erlangen 22. 04. 2008 What happened so far § The KM 3 Ne. T Conceptual Design Report § 22. 04. 2008 § The Preparatory Phase: Towards Implementation U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T

KM 3 Ne. T: From the idea to a concept 11/2002 3/2004 9/2005 2/2006 First consultations of ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR 9/2006 4/2008 KM 3 Ne. T on ESFRI Roadmap The KM 3 Ne. T Conceptual Design Report Design Study proposal submitted KM 3 Ne. T on ESFRI List of Opportunities Begin of Design Study 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 2

Major achievements § Science & technology § Politics & funding § Successful prototype deployments by NEMO and NESTOR Installation and operation of ANTARES A large deep-sea neutrino telescope is feasible! Endorsement by ESFRI and Ap. PEC Funding through EU: Design Study, Preparatory Phase Funding through national authorities: pilot projects, commitments for KM 3 Ne. T Towards construction - Strong collaboration Design concepts in CDR 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 3

The reference detector § § Sensitivity studies with a common detector layout Geometry: - 15 x 15 vertical detection units on rectangular grid, horizontal distances 95 m each carries 37 OMs, vertical distances 15. 5 m each OM with 21 3’’ PMTs Effective area of reference detector This is NOT the final KM 3 Ne. T design! 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 4

Science case revisited § Astroparticle physics with neutrinos § “Point sources”: Galactic and extragalactic sources of high-energy neutrinos The diffuse neutrino flux Neutrinos from Dark Matter annihilation Search for exotics - Magnetic monopoles Nuclearites, strangelets, … § Neutrino cross sections at high(est) energies § Earth and marine sciences - Long-term, continuous measurements in deep-sea Marine biology, oceanography, geology/geophysics, … 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 5

Point source sensitivity § § Based on muon detection Why factor ~3 more sensitive than Ice. Cube? § larger photocathode area better direction resolution Study still needs refinements 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 6

Diffuse fluxes § Assuming E-2 neutrino energy spectrum § Only muons studied § Energy reconstruction not yet included 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 7

Configuration studies § § § 22. 04. 2008 Various geometries and OM configurations have been studied None is optimal for all energies and directions Local coincidence requirement poses important constraints on OM pattern U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 8

KM 3 Ne. T design goals § § Sensitivity to exceed Ice. Cube by “substantial factor” Core process: nm+N m+X at neutrino energies beyond 100 Ge. V Lifetime > 10 years without major maintenance, construction and deployment < 4 years Some technical specifications: - time resolution 2 ns position of OMs to better than 40 cm accuracy two-hit separation < 25 ns false coincidences dominated by marine background coincidence acceptance > 50% PM dark rate < 20% of 40 K rate 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 9

Technical implementation § Photo-sensors and optical modules § Data acquisition, information technology and electronics § Mechanical structures § Deep-sea infrastructure § Deployment § Calibration § Associated science infrastructure 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 10

Optical modules: standard or directional § § A standard optical module, as used in ANTARES Typically a 10’’ PMT in a 17’’ glass sphere A segmented anode and a mirror system allow for directional resolution First prototypes produced 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 11

… or many small photomultipliers … § § Basic idea: Use up to 30 small (3’’ or 3. 5’’) PMTs in standard sphere Advantages: § increased photocathode area improved 1 -vs-2 photoelectron separation better sensitivity to coincidences directionality Prototype arrangements under study 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 12

… or hybrid solutions § § Idea: Use high voltage (~20 k. V) and send photo electrons on scintillator; detect scintillator light with small standard PMT. Advantages: § Very good photo-electron counting, high quantum eff. large angular sensitivity possible Quasar 370 (Baikal) Prototype development in CERN/Photonis/CPPM collaboration 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 13

Photocathode news § Hamamatsu § § 22. 04. 2008 New photocathode developments by two companies (Hamamatsu, Photonis) Factor 2 in quantum efficiency factor 2 in effective photocathode area! Major gain in neutrino telescope sensitivity! U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T Photonis 14

Mechanical structures 1. Extended tower structure: like NESTOR, arm length up to 60 m 2. Flexible tower structure: like NEMO, tower deployed in compactified “package” and unfurls thereafter 3. String structure: Compactified at deployment, unfolding on sea bed 4. Cable based concept: one (large) OM per storey, separate mechanical and electro-optical function of cable, compactified deployment 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 15

Deep-sea infrastructure § Major components: § NEMO junction box design main cable & power transmission network of secondary cables with junction boxes connectors Design considerations: - cable selection likely to be driven by commercial availability junction boxes: may be custom-designed, work ongoing in NEMO connectors: Expensive, reduce number and/or complexity 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 16

A green power concept for KM 3 Ne. T? § Idea: Use wind and/or solar power at KM 3 Ne. T shore installations to produce the required electrical power. § Requires investment of 4 -5 M€. § Can only work if coupled to a larger (public) power network. 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 17

Deployment: On the surface … § § § Deployment operations require ships or dedicated platforms. Ships: Buy, charter or use ships of opportunity. Platform: Delta-Berenike, under construction in Greece, ready summer 08 Delta-Berenike: triangular platform, central well with crane, water jet propulsion 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 18

… and in the deep sea § Deep-sea submersibles are likely needed for - § § Commercially available ROVs laying out the deep-sea cable network making connections to detection units possibly maintenance and surveillance Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) available for a wide range of activities at various depths Use of autonomous undersea vehicles (AUVs) under study 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 19

The associated science installation § § Associated science devices will be installed at various distances around neutrino telescope Issues: § interfaces operation without mutual interference stability of operation and data sharing Synergy effects 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 20

The candidate sites § Locations of the three pilot projects: - § § § ANTARES: Toulon NEMO: Capo Passero NESTOR: Pylos All appear to be suitable Long-term site characterisation measurements performed and ongoing Site decision requires scientific, technological and political input 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 21

Site characterisation: An example Important parameter: water transparency Capo Passero Pylos (460 nm) 22. 04. 2008 Also: optical background, sea currents, sedimentation, biofouling, radioactivity, … U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 22

The KM 3 Ne. T Preparatory Phase § § “Preparatory Phase”: A new EU/FP 7 funding instrument restricted to ESFRI projects. KM 3 Ne. T proposal endorsed, funded with 5 M€, coordinated by Emilio Migneco / LNS Catania 3 -year project, 3/2008 – 2/2011; kick-off meeting in Catania, 10 -13 March 2008 Major objectives: - Initiate political process towards convergence (includes funding and site selection/decision) Set up legal structure and governance Strategic issues: New partners, distributed sites, extendibility Prepare operation organisation & user communities Organise pre-procurement with commercial partners Next-step prototyping 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 23

Timeline towards construction Note: “Construction” includes the final prototyping stage 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 24

Your copy of the CDR There is a copy of the CDR for each participant of the VLVn. T 08 workshop waiting for you outside the auditorium! 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 25

Dark Matter Sensitivity § Scan m. SUGRA parameter space and calculate neutrino flux for each point § Focus on points compatible with WMAP data § Detectability: - Blue: ANTARES - Green: KM 3 Ne. T - Red: None of them 22. 04. 2008 U. Katz: KM 3 Ne. T 26