Time calibration and detector consistency cross checks of the KM3NeT detector using atmospheric particles

KM3NeT is a research collaboration currently building a neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. The aim of KM3NeT is to discover the source of astrophysical neutrinos and to uncover the true neutrino mass hierarchy. In order to achieve its scientific goals, KM3NeT requires 1-2 ns time calibration accuracy. Preliminary time calibration is currently executed using a laser setup. This research explores the use of background signals from air showers instead. The air shower method is shown to be robust and consistent within 0.5 ns. Furthermore, this time calibration corresponds to laser calibrations within 1 ns. Thus, the air shower time calibration provides a cross check for current methods and it could be used as a cheaper and easier method for future time calibration facilities. Secondly, the decay of atmospheric muon signals in the sea is investigated as a detector performance cross check. The muon depth dependence is very stable after all corrections and considerations...Show moreKM3NeT is a research collaboration currently building a neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. The aim of KM3NeT is to discover the source of astrophysical neutrinos and to uncover the true neutrino mass hierarchy. In order to achieve its scientific goals, KM3NeT requires 1-2 ns time calibration accuracy. Preliminary time calibration is currently executed using a laser setup. This research explores the use of background signals from air showers instead. The air shower method is shown to be robust and consistent within 0.5 ns. Furthermore, this time calibration corresponds to laser calibrations within 1 ns. Thus, the air shower time calibration provides a cross check for current methods and it could be used as a cheaper and easier method for future time calibration facilities. Secondly, the decay of atmospheric muon signals in the sea is investigated as a detector performance cross check. The muon depth dependence is very stable after all corrections and considerations discussed in this research. Any large deviations from the expected muon signal may be used as an indicator for lower efficiency in the detector. Furthermore, comparisons between detectors can show consistency in the time calibrations. Overall, background signals of atmospheric origin, though not being the objective for KM3NeT, are shown to provide valuable detector cross checks.Show less

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Time calibration and detector consistency cross checks of the KM3NeT detector using atmospheric particles