ANTARES: the first undersea neutrino telescope

The ANTARES Neutrino Telescope was completed in May 2008 and is the first operational Neutrino Telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. The main purpose of the detector is to perform neutrino astronomy and the apparatus also offers facilities for marine and Earth sciences. This paper describes the design, the construction and the installation of the telescope in the deep sea, offshore from Toulon in France. An illustration of the detector performance is given

Tuning parametric models of the atmospheric muon flux in MUPAGE to data from the KM3NeT detector

The muons produced by cosmic ray interactions in the upper atmosphere constitute the most abundant signal for underwater neutrino detectors such as KM3NeT (the Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope), which is currently being deployed in the Mediterranean Sea at two distinct locations. Situated at different depths, the KM3NeT/ARCA and KM3NeT/ORCA detectors experience a different flux of muons, and thus are uniquely positioned to study their evolution and propagation from cosmic ray showers. It is imperative to the main physics goals of the experiment that the atmospheric muon background is modelled correctly, which aids in benchmarking and understanding the detector response to the constant flux of these particles. In this study, the data from the KM3NeT/ORCA detector is used and compared with the Monte Carlo (MC) prediction from the MUPAGE (MUons from PArametric formulas: a fast GEnerator for neutrino telescopes) software package, which generates the energy spectrum, lateral distribution, and muon multiplicity of muon bundles according to a specific parametrisation at different depths below sea level. This parametrisation consists of many free parameters which can be tuned such that simulated physical observables in the detector agree with those measured in data. In this way, improvements to the data-MC agreement are achieved by quantitatively comparing the level of agreement between simulated and measured observables in the KM3NeT detector

Sensitivity of the KM3NeT/ORCA detector to the neutrino mass ordering and beyond

The KM3NeT collaboration is currently building a new generation of large-volume water-Cherenkov neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean sea. Two detectors, ARCA and ORCA, are under construction. They feature different neutrino energy thresholds: TeV range for ARCA and GeV range for ORCA. The main research goal of ORCA is the measurement of the neutrino mass ordering and atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters, while the detector is also sensitive to a wide variety of other physics topics, including non-standard interactions, sterile neutrinos and Earth tomography, as well as low-energy neutrino astronomy. This contribution will present an overview of the updated ORCA sensitivity projection to its main science objectives, including - but not limited to - the measurement of the neutrino mass ordering and oscillation parameters Future perspectives for ORCA to serve as far detector for a long baseline neutrino experiment with a neutrino beam from the U70 accelerator complex at Protvino in Russia will also be discussed

Deep sea tests of a prototype of the KM3NeT digital optical module: KM3NeT Collaboration

The first prototype of a photo-detection unit of the future KM3NeT neutrino telescope has been deployed in the deep waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This digital optical module has a novel design with a very large photocathode area segmented by the use of 31 three inch photomultiplier tubes. It has been integrated in the ANTARES detector for in-situ testing and validation. This paper reports on the first months of data taking and rate measurements. The analysis results highlight the capabilities of the new module design in terms of background suppression and signal recognition. The directionality of the optical module enables the recognition of multiple Cherenkov photons from the same40 K decay and the localisation of bioluminescent activity in the neighbourhood. The single unit can cleanly identify atmospheric muons and provide sensitivity to the muon arrival directions

Deep sea tests of a prototype of the KM3NeT digital optical module

250nonenoneAdrian-Martinez S; Ageron M; Aharonian F; Aiello S; Albert A; Ameli F; Anassontzis EG; Anghinolfi M; Anton G; Anvar S; Ardid M; de Asmundis R; Balasi K; Band H; Barbarino G; Barbarito E; Barbato F; Baret B; Baron S; Belias A; Berbee E; van den Berg AM; Berkien A; Bertin V; Beurthey S; van Beveren V; Beverini N; Biagi S; Bianucci S; Billault M; Birbas A; Rookhuizen HB; Bormuth R; Bouche V; Bouhadef B; Bourlis G; Bouwhuis M; Bozza C; Bruijn R; Brunner J; Cacopardo G; Caillat L; Calamai M; Calvo D; Capone A; Caramete L; Caruso F; Cecchini S; Ceres A; Cereseto R; Champion C; Chateau F; Chiarusi T; Christopoulou B; Circella M; Classen L; Cocimano R; Colonges S; Coniglione R; Cosquer A; Costa M; Coyle P; Creusot A; Curtil C; Cuttone G; D'Amato C; D'Amico A; De Bonis G; De Rosa G; Deniskina N; Destelle JJ; Distefano C; Donzaud C; Dornic D; Dorosti-Hasankiadeh Q; Drakopoulou E; Drouhin D; Drury L; Durand D; Eberl T; Eleftheriadis C; Elsaesser D; Enzenhofer A; Fermani P; Fusco LA; Gajana D; Gal T; Galata S; Gallo F; Garufi F; Gebyehu M; Giordano V; Gizani N; Ruiz RG; Graf K; Grasso R; Grella G; Grmek A; Habel R; van Haren H; Heid T; Heijboer A; Heine E; Henry S; Hernandez-Rey JJ; Herold B; Hevinga MA; van der Hoek M; Hofestadt J; Hogenbirk J; Hugon C; Hoessl J; Imbesi M; James C; Jansweijer P; Jochum J; de Jong M; Kadler M; Kalekin O; Kappes A; Kappos E; Katz U; Kavatsyuk O; Keller P; Kieft G; Koffeman E; Kok H; Kooijman P; Koopstra J; Korporaal A; Kouchner A; Koutsoukos S; Kreykenbohm I; Kulikovskiy V; Lahmann R; Lamare P; Larosa G; Lattuada D; Le Provost H; Leisos A; Lenis D; Leonora E; Clark ML; Liolios A; Alvarez CDL; Lohner H; Lo Presti D; Louis F; Maccioni E; Mannheim K; Manolopoulos K; Margiotta A; Maris O; Markou C; Martinez-Mora JA; Martini A; Masullo R; Michael T; Migliozzi P; Migneco E; Miraglia A; Mollo C; Mongelli M; Morganti M; Mos S; Moudden Y; Musico P; Musumeci M; Nicolaou C; Nicolau CA; Orlando A; Orzelli A; Papageorgiou K; Papaikonomou A; Papaleo R; Pavalas GE; Peek H; Pellegrino C; Pellegriti MG; Perrina C; Petridou C; Piattelli P; Pikounis K; Popa V; Pradier T; Priede M; Puhlhofer G; Pulvirenti S; Racca C; Raffaelli F; Randazzo N; Rapidis PA; Razis P; Real D; Resvanis L; Reubelt J; Riccobene G; Rovelli A; Royon J; Saldana M; Samtleben DFE; Sanguineti M; Santangelo A; Sapienza P; Savvidis I; Schmelling J; Schnabel J; Sedita M; Seitz T; Sgura I; Simeone F; Siotis I; Sipala V; Solazzo M; Spitaleri A; Spurio M; Stavropoulos G; Steijger J; Stolarczyk T; Stransky D; Taiuti M; Terreni G; Tezier D; Theraube S; Thompson LF; Timmer P; Trapierakis HI; Trasatti L; Trovato A; Tselengidou M; Tsirigotis A; Tzamarias S; Tzamariudaki E; Vallage B; Van Elewyck V; Vermeulen J; Vernin P; Viola S; Vivolo D; Werneke P; Wiggers L; Wilms J; de Wolf E; van Wooning RHL; Yatkin K; Zachariadou K; Zonca E; Zornoza JD; Zuniga J; Zwart AAdrian-Martinez, S; Ageron, M; Aharonian, F; Aiello, S; Albert, A; Ameli, F; Anassontzis, Eg; Anghinolfi, M; Anton, G; Anvar, S; Ardid, M; de Asmundis, R; Balasi, K; Band, H; Barbarino, G; Barbarito, E; Barbato, F; Baret, B; Baron, S; Belias, A; Berbee, E; van den Berg, Am; Berkien, A; Bertin, V; Beurthey, S; van Beveren, V; Beverini, N; Biagi, S; Bianucci, S; Billault, M; Birbas, A; Rookhuizen, Hb; Bormuth, R; Bouche, V; Bouhadef, B; Bourlis, G; Bouwhuis, M; Bozza, C; Bruijn, R; Brunner, J; Cacopardo, G; Caillat, L; Calamai, M; Calvo, D; Capone, A; Caramete, L; Caruso, F; Cecchini, S; Ceres, A; Cereseto, R; Champion, C; Chateau, F; Chiarusi, T; Christopoulou, B; Circella, M; Classen, L; Cocimano, R; Colonges, S; Coniglione, R; Cosquer, A; Costa, M; Coyle, P; Creusot, A; Curtil, C; Cuttone, G; D'Amato, C; D'Amico, A; De Bonis, G; De Rosa, G; Deniskina, N; Destelle, Jj; Distefano, C; Donzaud, C; Dornic, D; Dorosti-Hasankiadeh, Q; Drakopoulou, E; Drouhin, D; Drury, L; Durand, D; Eberl, T; Eleftheriadis, C; Elsaesser, D; Enzenhofer, A; Fermani, P; Fusco, La; Gajana, D; Gal, T; Galata, S; Gallo, F; Garufi, F; Gebyehu, M; Giordano, V; Gizani, N; Ruiz, Rg; Graf, K; Grasso, R; Grella, G; Grmek, A; Habel, R; van Haren, H; Heid, T; Heijboer, A; Heine, E; Henry, S; Hernandez-Rey, Jj; Herold, B; Hevinga, Ma; van der Hoek, M; Hofestadt, J; Hogenbirk, J; Hugon, C; Hoessl, J; Imbesi, M; James, C; Jansweijer, P; Jochum, J; de Jong, M; Kadler, M; Kalekin, O; Kappes, A; Kappos, E; Katz, U; Kavatsyuk, O; Keller, P; Kieft, G; Koffeman, E; Kok, H; Kooijman, P; Koopstra, J; Korporaal, A; Kouchner, A; Koutsoukos, S; Kreykenbohm, I; Kulikovskiy, V; Lahmann, R; Lamare, P; Larosa, G; Lattuada, D; Le Provost, H; Leisos, A; Lenis, D; Leonora, E; Clark, Ml; Liolios, A; Alvarez, Cdl; Lohner, H; Lo Presti, D; Louis, F; Maccioni, E; Mannheim, K; Manolopoulos, K; Margiotta, A; Maris, O; Markou, C; Martinez-Mora, Ja; Martini, A; Masullo, R; Michael, T; Migliozzi, P; Migneco, E; Miraglia, A; Mollo, C; Mongelli, M; Morganti, M; Mos, S; Moudden, Y; Musico, P; Musumeci, M; Nicolaou, C; Nicolau, Ca; Orlando, A; Orzelli, A; Papageorgiou, K; Papaikonomou, A; Papaleo, R; Pavalas, Ge; Peek, H; Pellegrino, C; Pellegriti, Mg; Perrina, C; Petridou, C; Piattelli, P; Pikounis, K; Popa, V; Pradier, T; Priede, M; Puhlhofer, G; Pulvirenti, S; Racca, C; Raffaelli, F; Randazzo, N; Rapidis, Pa; Razis, P; Real, D; Resvanis, L; Reubelt, J; Riccobene, G; Rovelli, A; Royon, J; Saldana, M; Samtleben, Dfe; Sanguineti, M; Santangelo, A; Sapienza, P; Savvidis, I; Schmelling, J; Schnabel, J; Sedita, M; Seitz, T; Sgura, I; Simeone, F; Siotis, I; Sipala, V; Solazzo, M; Spitaleri, A; Spurio, M; Stavropoulos, G; Steijger, J; Stolarczyk, T; Stransky, D; Taiuti, M; Terreni, G; Tezier, D; Theraube, S; Thompson, Lf; Timmer, P; Trapierakis, Hi; Trasatti, L; Trovato, A; Tselengidou, M; Tsirigotis, A; Tzamarias, S; Tzamariudaki, E; Vallage, B; Van Elewyck, V; Vermeulen, J; Vernin, P; Viola, S; Vivolo, D; Werneke, P; Wiggers, L; Wilms, J; de Wolf, E; van Wooning, Rhl; Yatkin, K; Zachariadou, K; Zonca, E; Zornoza, Jd; Zuniga, J; Zwart,

Comparison of the measured atmospheric muon rate with Monte Carlo simulations and sensitivity study for detection of prompt atmospheric muons with KM3NeT

The KM3NeT Collaboration has successfully deployed the first detection units of the next genera- tion undersea neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean Sea at the two sites in Italy and in France. The data sample collected between December 2016 and January 2020 has been used to measure the atmospheric muon rate at two different depths under the sea level: 3.5 km with KM3NeT- ARCA and 2.5 km with KM3NeT-ORCA. Atmospheric muons represent an abundant signal in a neutrino telescope and can be used to test the reliability of the Monte Carlo simulation chain and to study the physics of extensive air showers caused by highly-energetic primary nuclei impinging the Earth’s atmosphere. At energies above PeV the contribution from prompt muons, created right after the first interaction in the shower, is expected to become dominant, however its existence has not yet been experimentally confirmed. In this talk, data collected with the first detection units of KM3NeT are compared to Monte Carlo simulations based on MUPAGE and CORSIKA codes. The main features of the simulation and reconstruction chains are presented. Additionally, the first results of the simulated signal from the prompt muon component for KM3NeT-ARCA and KM3NeT-ORCA obtained with CORSIKA are discussed

First neutrino oscillation measurement in KM3NeT/ORCA

The KM3NeT/ORCA is a next-generation neutrino detector currently under construction in the Mediterranean Sea. There are currently 6 Detection Units deployed, and in the past year the detector has been steadily taking data. Here the first neutrino oscillation measurement is presented using data taken with the ORCA detector 6 Detection Units, containing 354.6 days of exposure. Selection criteria are discussed, followed by a neutrino oscillation analysis. In the analysis it is found that oscillations are preferred with a confidence level of 5.9 σ over “no oscillations”. Likelihood scans of the Δm312 and sin2 θ23 parameter also show a strong exclusion of the no oscillation hypothesis. The sensitivity contour in (sin2 θ23, Δm312) is presented, showing results that are approaching to being being competitive with other experiments [1]

First neutrino oscillation measurement in KM3NeT/ORCA

The KM3NeT/ORCA is a next-generation neutrino detector currently under construction in the Mediterranean Sea. There are currently 6 Detection Units deployed, and in the past year the detector has been steadily taking data. Here the first neutrino oscillation measurement is presented using data taken with the ORCA detector 6 Detection Units, containing 354.6 days of exposure. Selection criteria are discussed, followed by a neutrino oscillation analysis. In the analysis it is found that oscillations are preferred with a confidence level of 5.9 σ over “no oscillations”. Likelihood scans of the Δm312 and sin2 θ23 parameter also show a strong exclusion of the no oscillation hypothesis. The sensitivity contour in (sin2 θ23, Δm312) is presented, showing results that are approaching to being being competitive with other experiments [1]

Atmospheric neutrinos with the first KM3NeT/ORCA data and prospects for measuring the atmospheric neutrino flux

KM3NeT is a research infrastructure aiming to study astrophysical sources as well as to perform particle physics studies, through the detection of neutrinos in the abyssal depths of the Mediterranean Sea. The KM3NeT/ORCA detector (Oscillation Research with Cosmics in the Abyss), currently under construction, is deployed at 2450 m depth near Toulon, France. It consists of vertical structures (Detection Units) equipped with spherical Digital Optical Modules, each hosting a set of photomultiplier tubes capable of detecting neutrino events from the Cherenkov radiation induced by the daughter particles. In this contribution, an analysis of data collected with the first 6 Detection Units (ORCA6) leading to a sample of atmospheric neutrino events is described. The angular resolution and the energy reconstruction performance for this event selection, which is a key factor for measuring the atmospheric neutrino flux are presented