Speaker
Veronique Van Elewyck
(APC)
Description
The KM3NeT Collaboration is currently constructing the first phase of a
next-generation neutrino telescope on two sites in the Mediterranean
Sea: KM3NeT-FR near Toulon (France), and KM3NeT-IT near Capo Passero in
Sicily (Italy). Each site will host a three-dimensional array of
thousands of photosensors that will detect the Cherenkov light resulting
from neutrino interactions in the vicinity of the detector. The KM3NeT
detector relies on a novel design for its Digital Optical Modules,
housing 31 three-inch photomultiplier tubes enclosed in a glass sphere,
which provide enhanced photon counting and directionality performances.
Two configurations have been defined that are optimised for studies in
different ranges of energy. KM3NeT-FR will be mainly dedicated to the
study of oscillation effects and the measurement of the neutrino mass
hierarchy with ~GeV atmospheric neutrinos (ORCA). KM3NeT-IT will focus
on high-energy (TeV-PeV) neutrino astronomy, aiming at the exploration
of the all-flavour neutrino sky with unprecedented resolution (ARCA).
This contribution will present the status of the first phase of the
KM3NeT detector implementation, and survey the physics potentialities of the telescope with respect to its twofold aim.
Primary author
Veronique Van Elewyck
(APC)
