The acoustic calibration system for the IceCube Upgrade

RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)

Abstract

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is the world's largest neutrino telescope, consisting of over 5000 optical sensors that are embedded kilometers deep in the glacial ice at the South Pole. It has reached a number of milestones in the field of neutrino astrophysics such as the discovery of a high-energy astrophysical neutrino flux and the detection of high-energy neutrino point sources. The IceCube Upgrade will deploy 700 new optical sensors, calibration and R&D devices at the center of the detector. With improved understanding of the optical ice properties and detector response the importance of a precise geometry calibration increases. Part of the IceCube Upgrade will be an acoustic calibration system to explore the feasibility of in-ice geometry calibration via multilateration of the propagation time of acoustic signals. It will consist of ten Acoustic Modules (AMs) that are capable of emitting and receiving acoustic signals and 14 acoustic sensors that will be integrated into some of the new optical sensors. Other objectives are the measurement of acoustic ice properties, glaciological measurements and the acoustic detection of high-energy neutrinos. This work describes the design and verification tests of the AMs and acoustic sensors. The AMs have been designed to withstand the harsh conditions in the deep Antarctic ice and to achieve a high acoustic signal output and sensitivity while maintaining a very low power consumption. The design has been verified during multiple tests and measurement results in water indicate a sufficient range for the transmission of acoustic signals through the ice.

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