Transmission of light in deep sea water at the site of the ANTARES neutrino telescope

Journal article

The Antares neutrino telescope is a large photomultiplier array designed to detect neutrino-induced upward-going muons by their Cherenkov radiation. Understanding the absorption and scattering of light in the deep Mediterranean is fundamental to optimising the design and performance of the detector. This paper presents measurements of blue and UV light transmission at the Antares site taken between 1997 and 2000. The derived values for the scattering length and the angular distribution of particulate scattering were found to be highly correlated, and results are therefore presented in terms of an absorption length λabs and an effective scattering length λscteff. The values for blue (UV) light are found to be λabs ≃ 60(26) m, λscteff ≃ 265(122)m , with significant (∼15%) time variability. Finally, the results of A ntares simulations showing the effect of these water properties on the anticipated performance of the detector are presented. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Authors: Aguilar, J; Albert, A; Amram, P; Anghinolfi, M; Anton, G

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 131-155
• Publication date: 2005-02-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2004.11.006
• ISSN: 0927-6505
• Language: English
• Keywords: neutrino telescope; sea water properties; undersea Cherenkov detectors; absorption and transmission of light