Speakers
Description
Emerging optoacoustic sensing technologies offer a promising pathway for advancing the acoustic detection of ultra–high energy (UHE) neutrinos in the deep sea. Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing (DFOS), and in particular Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), enables the transformation of standard submarine telecommunication fibers into dense arrays of virtual hydrophones, with measurement points spaced at the meter scale along tens of kilometres. Recent developments in DFOS on subsea telecom cables have demonstrated the capability to monitor acoustic fields over basin scale distances, providing continuous, wide aperture coverage well suited for detecting impulsive pressure waves expected from neutrino induced thermoacoustic cascades. Within this context, the INFN cabled seabed network installed offshore Capo Passero (South-East Sicily) serving the KM3NeT neutrino telescope may represent an ideal testbed for next generation neutrino acoustic detection. A DAS system is already operating using the 100km long main electro optical cable to monitoring underwater soundscape up to 500 Hz. Novel DFOS based devices connected to short cable trunks could provide a wide area, continuously operating, and scalable acoustic observatory for the exploration of the highest energy neutrinos. Leveraging the unique features of the INFN seafloor network, we discuss the scientific potential and technical prospects of applying advanced optoacoustic sensing to neutrino astrophysics in the Mediterranean Sea.