Baikal-GVD

We present the status of the Gigaton Volume Detector in Lake Baikal (Baikal-GVD) designed for the detection of high energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. The telescope consists of functionally independent clusters, sub-arrays of optical modules (OMs), which are connected to shore by individual electro-optical cables. During 2015 the GVD demonstration cluster, comprising 192 OMs, has been successfully operated in Lake Baikal. In 2016 this array was upgraded to baseline configuration of GVD cluster with 288 OMs arranged on eight vertical strings. Thus the instrumented water volume has been increased up to about 5.9 Mtons. The array was commissioned in early April 2016 and takes data since then. We describe the configuration and design of the 2016 array. Preliminary results obtained with data recorded in 2015 are also discussed

LED based calibration systems of the Baikal-GVD neutrino telescope

Baikal-GVD is a cubic-kilometer scale neutrino telescope, which is currently under construction in Lake Baikal. GVD will consist of an array of optical modules arranged in clusters of strings. The first GVD-cluster has been deployed and put in operation in April 2015. We describe equipment and methods for the calibration of the first GVD-cluster and discuss the accuracy of the calibration procedures

Status of the Baikal-GVD project

The construction of a km^3-scale neutrino telescope - the Gigaton Volume Detector (GVD) in Lake Baikal - is the central goal of the Baikal collaboration. During the R&D phase of the GVD project in 2008-2010 years the basic elements of GVD - new optical modules, FADC readout units, underwater communications and trigger systems - have been developed, produced and tested in situ by long-term operating prototype strings in Lake Baikal. The prototyping phase of the GVD project has been started in April 2011 with the installation of a three string array (prototype cluster) which comprises all basic elements and systems of the GVD-telescope in Lake Baikal. We describe configuration and technical design of the GVD, present selected results obtained during 2008-2010 with prototype strings, and describe configuration and design of the 2011 prototype cluster

Acoustic Search for High Energy Neutrinos in Lake Baikal: Status and Perspectives

The status and perspectives of the feasibility study to detect high energy cosmic neutrinos acoustically in Lake Baikal is presented. The concept of on acoustic array as a part of the Baikal Gigaton Volume Neutrino Telescope GVD based on results of simulation and background measurements is described

Baikal-GVD: first results and prospects

Next generation cubic kilometer scale neutrino telescope Baikal-GVD is currently under construction in Lake Baikal. The detector is specially designed for search for high energies neutrinos whose sources are not yet reliably identified. Since April 2018 the telescope has been successfully operated in complex of three functionally independent clusters i.e. sub-arrays of optical modules (OMs) where now are hosted 864 OMs on 24 vertical strings. Each cluster is connected to shore by individual electro-optical cables. The effective volume of the detector for neutrino initiated cascades of relativistic particles with energy above 100 TeV has been increased up to about 0.15 km3. Preliminary results obtained with data recorded in 2016 and 2017 are discussed