Acoustic Review — The Mission Thomas Lohse DESY

Acoustic Review - The Mission Thomas Lohse DESY April 28, 2010 1

Astroparticlephysics at DESY o o o Neutrino Astronomy – Ice. Cube, Ice. Top, SPATS n Module production for Ice. Cube finished n Emphasis shifting to Ice. Cube/Ice. Top physics analysis n SPATS tests successful – future of acoustic detection? Gamma Ray Astronomy – MAGIC, VERITAS n MAGIC: Multimessenger project (YIG Bernardini) n VERITAS: Analysis + CTA-R&D (YIG Maier) n Close contacts to H. E. S. S. through collaboration with Humboldt University Berlin The next large project – Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) n Telescope prototype, drive system, trigger, control centre n Steep ramp-up of DESY engagement 2

Recommendations of HGF Senate Commission Funding period 2010 -2014: o The opportunity to join the CTA effort seems like a natural evolution for DESY… should be supported asap … o Supporting this and keeping the Ice. Cube analysis strong for the next five years requires some additional budget growth… o For evaluating the acoustic detection activities in Ice. Cube a specific review called by the DESY management in the beginning of 2010 is recommended. A continuation of these activities beyond that review should be subject to its outcome and to a “critical mass” of partner institutes ready to participate in such a programme. 3

Questions o Is the physics case (GZK neutrinos) convincing? o How does it compare/relate to that of Ice. Cube and CTA? o Is acoustic detection in ice still a viable technique for a 100(0) km 2 neutrino detector at the south pole (or elsewhere)? o What are the benefits of acoustic detection in large hybrid radio/acoustic/optical arrays? o Is there sufficient interest (“critical mass”) within the community (esp. Ice. Cube) to allow for a design study and a systematic R&D program towards a major radio/acoustic/optical detector at the south pole++? o Could DESY play an adequate role in such a program and what are the resources needed to achieve this? 4