KM3NeT/ORCA Phase 1 detector completed

Written by katrinlink on 7th February 2020. Posted in

In January 2020 Phase 1 of the KM3NeT-France construction was successfully completed. About one year after the deployment of the first detector unit, the ORCA detector now comprises 6 detection units, each equipped with 18 sensor modules. A module houses 31 light sensors (photo-multiplier tubes) to record the faint Cherenkov light generated by charged particles in the sea water.

Downgoing atmospheric muon event. (Credits: KM3NeT)

Upgoing neutrino candidate. (Credits: KM3NeT)

Two new detection units were installed the 24-26 January, 2.5 km below the sea surface at the KM3NeT/ORCA site located 40 km offshore from Toulon, France. Immediately after connection to the seafloor network the data taking started and downgoing cosmic ray muons came pouring in. Real time analysis of the new data also identified the first sample of candidate upgoing atmospheric neutrino events detected by ORCA6.

For more information please visit the KM3NeT website: https://www.km3net.org/category/news/

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 739560.