KM3NeT: A Next Generation

Neutrino Telescope in the

Mediterranean SeaAlexander KappesUniversity Erlangen-Nuremberg

For the KM3NeT Consortium

6th International Workshop on

New Worlds in Astroparticle Physics

6. – 8. September 2007, Faro Portugal

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 2

Outline of TalkOutline of Talk

Physics case

Towards a km3 detector

The KM3NeT Design Study

How does it go on?

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 3

Potential Cosmic Neutrino SourcesPotential Cosmic Neutrino Sources

Extra-Galactic: Active Galactic Nuclei Gamma Ray Bursts

Galactic: Pulsar Wind Nebula Supernova Remnants Microquasars

RX J1713.7-3946HESS

(GRB970228, BeppoSax)

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 4

Directional Sensitivity of Neutrino TelescopesDirectional Sensitivity of Neutrino Telescopes

Muons from for identification of individual sources (angular resolution)

Muons can penetrate several km of water if E > 1 TeV

⇒ huge background from atmospheric

Sensitivity for upward sources largely reduced

needs either very high energies

or short transients (e.g., GRBs)

horizon upwarddownward

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 5

Why a Neutrino Telescope in the Mediterranean ?Why a Neutrino Telescope in the Mediterranean ?

Mediterranean site:

>75% visibility

>25% visibility

Observed sky

region in

galactic

coordinates

assuming

efficiency only

for downward

hemisphere.

→ We need Northern telescopes to cover the Galactic Plane

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 7

Flux Predictions from Flux Predictions from -Ray Measurements-Ray Measurements

mean atm. flux(Volkova, 1980,

Sov.J.Nucl.Phys., 31(6), 784)

Example: Vela X (PWN)

expected neutrino flux –in reach for KM3NeT

measured-ray flux (H.E.S.S.)

1 error bands include sys. errors (20% normalization, 10% index & cut-off)

A. Kappes et al., ApJ 656:870, 2007 (astro-ph/0607286)

All calculations show that we need km3-scale detectors

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 8

The KM3NeT ProjectThe KM3NeT Project

Currently consisting of 37 institutes from 10 European countries

(Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands,

Romania, Spain, UK)

Includes expertise from all pilot projects (ANTARES, NEMO, NESTOR)

Objectives:

build and operate a km3-scale next generation

water Cherenkov neutrino telescope

build and maintain a deep sea research infrastructure

for oceanographic sciences:

(Oceanology, Marine Biology, Environmental Sciences,

Geology and Geophysics)

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 9

The KM3NeT VisionThe KM3NeT Vision

KM3NeT will be a multidisciplinary research infrastructure:

Deep-sea access for marine sciences.

Data will be publicly available;

KM3NeT will be a pan-European project but non European institutes are highly welcome!

10 European countries already involved;

Substantial funding already now from national agencies;

KM3NeT on ESFRI roadmap.

KM3NeT will be constructed in time to take dataconcurrently with IceCube.

KM3NeT will be extendable.

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 11

The KM3NeT Design StudyThe KM3NeT Design Study

Supported by the European Union in FP6 with 9 M€, tot. volume ~20 M€.

Major Objectives:

Started on Feb. 1, 2006; will run for 3 years.

Conceptual Design Report by end 2007 (workshop Nov. 2007);

Technical Design Report by Spring 2009;

Detector target specifications:

Effective volume ≥ 1 km3

0.1˚ angular resolution for muons (E ≥10 TeV)

Energy threshold few 100 GeV (~100 GeV when pointing)

Sensitivity to all neutrino flavors

Field of view close to 4 for high energies

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 12

Some Key QuestionsSome Key Questions

Maximize physics output for given budget:

Which architecture to use? (strings vs. towers vs. new design)

How to get the data to shore?(optical vs. electric, electronics off-shore or on-shore)

How to calibrate the detector?(separate calibration and detection units?)

Design of photo-detection units?(large vs. several small PMs, directionality, ...)

Deployment technology?(dry vs. wet by ROV/AUV vs. wet from surface)

And finally: path to site decision.

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 20

Production model (example)Production model (example)

Configuration:

10000 optical modules

250 detector units

25 calibration units

3 years for construction (2010-2013)

15 / day

10 / month

1 / month

~ 5 assembly sites are needed

10 detector units / 400 OMs per month to be deployed !

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 25

KM3NeT PhasesKM3NeT Phases

Design study: 2006-2009

Technical Design Report

Preparatory phase: 2008-2010(invited for negotiations)

Political convergence

Commitment for construction of funding agencies/ministries

Governance and legal structure

System prototype

Tendering procedures

Construction phase: 2010-2013

Build a 1 km3 detector

Alexander Kappes, U-Erlangen Astro 2007, Faro Portugal, 6. - 8. Sept. 2007 26

Summary and OutlookSummary and Outlook

Compelling scientific arguments for neutrino astronomy and

the construction of large neutrino telescopes

It is essential to complement IceCube with a

km3-scale neutrino telescope in Northern Hemisphere

Joint effort of ANTARES, NEMO and NESTOR to realize

such a detector in the Mediterranean Sea

EU funded KM3NeT Design Study (2006–2009) is well on its way

CDR workshop in November

Technical Design Report early 2009

Start of “Prepatory Phase” expected early 2008 (until 2010)