The prototype detection unit of the KM3NeT detector

S. Adrián-Martínez; M. Ageron; F. Aharonian; S. Aiello; A. Albert; F. Ameli; E. G. Anassontzis; G. C. Androulakis; M. Anghinolfi; G. Anton; S. Anvar; M. Ardid; T. Avgitas; K. Balasi; H. Band; G. Barbarino; E. Barbarito; F. Barbato; B. Baret; S. Baron; J. Barrios; A. Belias; E. Berbee; A. M. van den Berg; A. Berkien; V. Bertin; S. Beurthey; V. van Beveren; N. Beverini; S. Biagi; A. Biagioni; S. Bianucci; M. Billault; A. Birbas; H. Boer Rookhuizen; R. Bormuth; V. Bouché; B. Bouhadef; G. Bourlis; C. Boutonnet; M. Bouwhuis; C. Bozza; R. Bruijn; J. Brunner; G. Cacopardo; L. Caillat; M. Calamai; D. Calvo; A. Capone; L. Caramete; F. Caruso; S. Cecchini; A. Ceres; R. Cereseto; C. Champion; F. Château; T. Chiarusi; B. Christopoulou; M. Circella; L. Classen; R. Cocimano; A. Coleiro; S. Colonges; R. Coniglione; A. Cosquer; M. Costa; P. Coyle; A. Creusot; G. Cuttone; C. D’Amato; A. D’Amico; G. De Bonis; G. De Rosa; N. Deniskina; J.-J. Destelle; C. Distefano; F. Di Capua; C. Donzaud; D. Dornic; Q. Dorosti-Hasankiadeh; E. Drakopoulou; D. Drouhin; L. Drury; D. Durand; T. Eberl; D. Elsaesser; A. Enzenhöfer; P. Fermani; L. A. Fusco; D. Gajanana; T. Gal; S. Galatà; F. Garufi; M. Gebyehu; V. Giordano; N. Gizani; R. Gracia Ruiz; K. Graf; R. Grasso; G. Grella; A. Grmek; R. Habel; H. van Haren; T. Heid; A. Heijboer; E. Heine; S. Henry; J. J. Hernández-Rey; B. Herold; M. A. Hevinga; M. van der Hoek; J. Hofestädt; J. Hogenbirk; C. Hugon; J. Hößl; M. Imbesi; C. W. James; P. Jansweijer; J. Jochum; M. de Jong; M. Jongen; M. Kadler; O. Kalekin; A. Kappes; E. Kappos; U. Katz; O. Kavatsyuk; P. Keller; G. Kieft; E. Koffeman; H. Kok; P. Kooijman; J. Koopstra; A. Korporaal; A. Kouchner; I. Kreykenbohm; V. Kulikovskiy; R. Lahmann; P. Lamare; G. Larosa; D. Lattuada; H. Le Provost; K. P. Leismüller; A. Leisos; D. Lenis; E. Leonora; M. Lindsey Clark; C. D. Llorens Alvarez; H. Löhner; A. Lonardo; S. Loucatos; F. Louis; E. Maccioni; K. Mannheim; K. Manolopoulos; A. Margiotta; O. Mariş; C. Markou; J. A. Martínez-Mora; A. Martini; R. Masullo; K. W. Melis; T. Michael; P. Migliozzi; E. Migneco; A. Miraglia; C. M. Mollo; M. Mongelli; M. Morganti; S. Mos; Y. Moudden; P. Musico; M. Musumeci; C. Nicolaou; C. A. Nicolau; A. Orlando; A. Orzelli; A. Papaikonomou; R. Papaleo; G. E. Păvălaş; H. Peek; C. Pellegrino; M. G. Pellegriti; C. Perrina; P. Piattelli; K. Pikounis; V. Popa; Th. Pradier; M. Priede; G. Pühlhofer; S. Pulvirenti; C. Racca; F. Raffaelli; N. Randazzo; P. A. Rapidis; P. Razis; D. Real; L. Resvanis; J. Reubelt; G. Riccobene; A. Rovelli; M. Saldaña; D. F. E. Samtleben; M. Sanguineti; A. Santangelo; P. Sapienza; J. Schmelling; J. Schnabel; V. Sciacca; M. Sedita; T. Seitz; I. Sgura; F. Simeone; V. Sipala; A. Spitaleri; M. Spurio; G. Stavropoulos; J. Steijger; T. Stolarczyk; D. Stransky; M. Taiuti; G. Terreni; D. Tézier; S. Théraube; L. F. Thompson; P. Timmer; L. Trasatti; A. Trovato; M. Tselengidou; A. Tsirigotis; S. Tzamarias; E. Tzamariudaki; B. Vallage; V. Van Elewyck; J. Vermeulen; P. Vernin; P. Vicini; S. Viola; D. Vivolo; P. Werneke; L. Wiggers; J. Wilms; E. de Wolf; R. H. L. van Wooning; E. Zonca; J. D. Zornoza; J. Zúñiga; A. Zwart

doi:10.1140/epjc/s10052-015-3868-9

2023 Impact factor 4.2

Particles and Fields

Open Access

Eur. Phys. J. C (2016) 76: 54
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-015-3868-9

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

KM3NeT Collaboration

S. Adrián-Martínez¹, M. Ageron², F. Aharonian³, S. Aiello⁴, A. Albert⁵, F. Ameli⁶, E. G. Anassontzis⁷, G. C. Androulakis¹², M. Anghinolfi⁸, G. Anton⁹, S. Anvar¹⁰, M. Ardid¹, T. Avgitas¹⁶, K. Balasi¹², H. Band¹³, G. Barbarino¹¹^,14, E. Barbarito¹⁵, F. Barbato¹¹^,14, B. Baret¹⁶, S. Baron¹⁶, J. Barrios²⁶, A. Belias¹², E. Berbee¹³, A. M. van den Berg¹⁷, A. Berkien¹³, V. Bertin², S. Beurthey², V. van Beveren¹³, N. Beverini¹⁸^,19, S. Biagi²⁰^*, A. Biagioni⁶, S. Bianucci¹⁹, M. Billault², A. Birbas²¹, H. Boer Rookhuizen¹³, R. Bormuth¹³^,22, V. Bouché⁶^,23, B. Bouhadef¹⁹, G. Bourlis²¹, C. Boutonnet¹⁶, M. Bouwhuis¹³, C. Bozza¹⁴^,24, R. Bruijn¹³^,25, J. Brunner², G. Cacopardo²⁰, L. Caillat², M. Calamai¹⁹, D. Calvo²⁶, A. Capone⁶^,23, L. Caramete²⁷, F. Caruso²⁰, S. Cecchini²⁸, A. Ceres¹⁵, R. Cereseto⁸, C. Champion¹⁶, F. Château¹⁰, T. Chiarusi²⁸, B. Christopoulou²¹, M. Circella¹⁵, L. Classen⁹, R. Cocimano²⁰, A. Coleiro¹⁶, S. Colonges¹⁶, R. Coniglione²⁰, A. Cosquer², M. Costa²⁰, P. Coyle², A. Creusot¹⁶, G. Cuttone²⁰, C. D’Amato²⁰, A. D’Amico¹³, G. De Bonis⁶, G. De Rosa¹¹^,14, N. Deniskina¹¹, J.-J. Destelle², C. Distefano²⁰, F. Di Capua¹¹^,14, C. Donzaud¹⁶^,30, D. Dornic², Q. Dorosti-Hasankiadeh¹⁷, E. Drakopoulou¹², D. Drouhin⁵, L. Drury³, D. Durand¹⁰, T. Eberl⁹, D. Elsaesser³¹, A. Enzenhöfer²^,9, P. Fermani⁶^,23, L. A. Fusco²⁸^,29, D. Gajanana¹³, T. Gal⁹, S. Galatà¹⁶, F. Garufi¹¹^,14, M. Gebyehu¹³, V. Giordano⁴, N. Gizani²¹, R. Gracia Ruiz¹⁶, K. Graf⁹, R. Grasso²⁰, G. Grella¹⁴^,24, A. Grmek²⁰, R. Habel³², H. van Haren³³, T. Heid⁹, A. Heijboer¹³, E. Heine¹³, S. Henry², J. J. Hernández-Rey²⁶, B. Herold⁹, M. A. Hevinga¹⁷, M. van der Hoek¹³, J. Hofestädt⁹, J. Hogenbirk¹³, C. Hugon⁸, J. Hößl⁹, M. Imbesi²⁰, C. W. James⁹, P. Jansweijer¹³, J. Jochum³⁴, M. de Jong¹³^,22, M. Jongen¹³, M. Kadler³¹, O. Kalekin⁹, A. Kappes⁹, E. Kappos¹², U. Katz⁹, O. Kavatsyuk¹⁷, P. Keller², G. Kieft¹³, E. Koffeman¹³^,25, H. Kok¹³, P. Kooijman¹³^,25^,35, J. Koopstra¹³, A. Korporaal¹³, A. Kouchner¹⁶, I. Kreykenbohm³⁶, V. Kulikovskiy²⁰, R. Lahmann⁹, P. Lamare², G. Larosa²⁰, D. Lattuada²⁰, H. Le Provost¹⁰, K. P. Leismüller²⁰, A. Leisos²¹, D. Lenis²¹, E. Leonora⁴, M. Lindsey Clark¹⁶, C. D. Llorens Alvarez¹, H. Löhner¹⁷, A. Lonardo⁶, S. Loucatos¹⁶, F. Louis¹⁰, E. Maccioni¹⁹, K. Mannheim³¹, K. Manolopoulos¹², A. Margiotta²⁸^,29, O. Mariş²⁷, C. Markou¹², J. A. Martínez-Mora¹, A. Martini³², R. Masullo⁶^,23, K. W. Melis¹³, T. Michael¹³, P. Migliozzi¹¹, E. Migneco²⁰, A. Miraglia²⁰, C. M. Mollo¹¹, M. Mongelli ¹⁵, M. Morganti¹⁹, S. Mos¹³, Y. Moudden¹⁰, P. Musico⁸, M. Musumeci²⁰, C. Nicolaou³⁷, C. A. Nicolau⁶, A. Orlando²⁰, A. Orzelli⁸, A. Papaikonomou¹²^,21, R. Papaleo²⁰, G. E. Păvălaş²⁷, H. Peek¹³, C. Pellegrino²⁸^,29, M. G. Pellegriti ²⁰, C. Perrina⁶^,23, P. Piattelli²⁰, K. Pikounis¹², V. Popa²⁷, Th. Pradier³⁸, M. Priede³⁹, G. Pühlhofer³⁴, S. Pulvirenti²⁰, C. Racca⁵, F. Raffaelli¹⁹, N. Randazzo⁴, P. A. Rapidis¹², P. Razis³⁷, D. Real²⁶, L. Resvanis⁷, J. Reubelt⁹, G. Riccobene²⁰, A. Rovelli²⁰, M. Saldaña¹, D. F. E. Samtleben¹³^,22, M. Sanguineti⁴⁰, A. Santangelo³⁴, P. Sapienza²⁰, J. Schmelling¹³, J. Schnabel⁹, V. Sciacca²⁰, M. Sedita²⁰, T. Seitz⁹, I. Sgura¹⁵, F. Simeone⁶, V. Sipala⁴, A. Spitaleri²⁰, M. Spurio²⁸^,29, G. Stavropoulos¹², J. Steijger¹³, T. Stolarczyk⁴¹, D. Stransky⁹, M. Taiuti⁸^,40, G. Terreni¹⁹, D. Tézier², S. Théraube², L. F. Thompson⁴², P. Timmer¹³, L. Trasatti³², A. Trovato²⁰, M. Tselengidou⁹, A. Tsirigotis²¹, S. Tzamarias²¹, E. Tzamariudaki¹², B. Vallage¹⁶^,41, V. Van Elewyck¹⁶, J. Vermeulen¹³, P. Vernin⁴¹, P. Vicini⁶, S. Viola²⁰, D. Vivolo¹¹^,14, P. Werneke¹³, L. Wiggers¹³, J. Wilms³⁶, E. de Wolf¹³^,25, R. H. L. van Wooning¹⁷, E. Zonca¹⁰, J. D. Zornoza²⁶, J. Zúñiga²⁶ and A. Zwart¹³

¹ Instituto de Investigación para la Gestión Integrada de las Zonas Costeras, Universitat Politècnica de València, Gandia, Spain
² Aix Marseille Université CNRS/IN2P3, CPPM UMR 7346, 13288, Marseille, France
³ DIAS, Dublin, Ireland
⁴ INFN, Sezione di Catania, Catania, Italy
⁵ GRPHE, Université de Haute Alsace, IUT de Colmar, Colmar, France
⁶ INFN, Sezione di Roma, Rome, Italy
⁷ Deparment of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
⁸ INFN, Sezione di Genova, Genova, Italy
⁹ Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
¹⁰ CEA, Irfu/Sedi, Centre de Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
¹¹ INFN, Sezione di Napoli, Naples, Italy
¹² Institute of Nuclear Physics, NCSR “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece
¹³ Nikhef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
¹⁴ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università ‘Federico II’, Naples, Italy
¹⁵ INFN, Sezione di Bari, Bari, Italy
¹⁶ APC,Université Paris Diderot, CNRS/IN2P3 CEA/IRFU, Observatoire de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75205, Paris, France
¹⁷ KVI-CART, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
¹⁸ INFN, Sezione di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
¹⁹ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
²⁰ INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania, Italy
²¹ School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece
²² Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
²³ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
²⁴ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
²⁵ Institute of Physics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
²⁶ IFIC-Instituto de Física Corpuscular, (CSIC-Universitat de València), Valencia, Spain
²⁷ Institute of Space Science, Bucharest, Romania
²⁸ INFN, Sezione di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
²⁹ Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
³⁰ Université Paris-Sud, 91405, Orsay Cedex, France
³¹ University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
³² INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Frascati, Italy
³³ NIOZ, Texel, The Netherlands
³⁴ Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
³⁵ Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
³⁶ Dr. Remeis Sternwarte, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Bamberg, Germany
³⁷ Physics Department, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
³⁸ IPHC, CNRS/IN2P3, Strasbourg, France
³⁹ Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
⁴⁰ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
⁴¹ CEA, Irfu/SPP, Centre de Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
⁴² Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

^* e-mail: simone.biagi@bo.infn.it

Received: 7 October 2015
Accepted: 22 December 2015
Published online: 29 January 2016

Abstract

A prototype detection unit of the KM3NeT deep-sea neutrino telescope has been installed at 3500m depth 80 km offshore the Italian coast. KM3NeT in its final configuration will contain several hundreds of detection units. Each detection unit is a mechanical structure anchored to the sea floor, held vertical by a submerged buoy and supporting optical modules for the detection of Cherenkov light emitted by charged secondary particles emerging from neutrino interactions. This prototype string implements three optical modules with 31 photomultiplier tubes each. These optical modules were developed by the KM3NeT Collaboration to enhance the detection capability of neutrino interactions. The prototype detection unit was operated since its deployment in May 2014 until its decommissioning in July 2015. Reconstruction of the particle trajectories from the data requires a nanosecond accuracy in the time calibration. A procedure for relative time calibration of the photomultiplier tubes contained in each optical module is described. This procedure is based on the measured coincidences produced in the sea by the $^{40}$ K background light and can easily be expanded to a detector with several thousands of optical modules. The time offsets between the different optical modules are obtained using LED nanobeacons mounted inside them. A set of data corresponding to 600 h of livetime was analysed. The results show good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations of the expected optical background and the signal from atmospheric muons. An almost background-free sample of muons was selected by filtering the time correlated signals on all the three optical modules. The zenith angle of the selected muons was reconstructed with a precision of about 3 $^\circ$ .