Aspects of the optical system relevant for the KM3NeT timing calibration

KM3NeT is a future research infrastructure in the Mediterranean Sea housing the large Cherenkov telescope arrays of optical modules for neutrino detection. The detector control and data transmission system is based on fibre optical technology. For timing calibration of the detector signals the optic...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kieft Gerard
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2016-01-01
Series:EPJ Web of Conferences
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201611606002
Description
Summary:KM3NeT is a future research infrastructure in the Mediterranean Sea housing the large Cherenkov telescope arrays of optical modules for neutrino detection. The detector control and data transmission system is based on fibre optical technology. For timing calibration of the detector signals the optical system is used to send and fan-out an onshore clock signal, derived from a GPS receiver, to all optical modules in the deep sea. The optical modules use this clock signal to time stamp the light pulses detected by the photomultipliers inside the modules. The delay time between the GPS clock on shore and the clock in each optical module is measured with sub-nanosecond precision using a White Rabbit based timing calibration system. The aspects of the optical system relevant for the timing calibration and the quantification of their effect will be presented.
ISSN:2100-014X