Sensitivity of multi-PMT optical modules in Antarctic ice to supernova neutrinos of MeV energy

• Published in: The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields Particles and fields, 2021-12, Vol.81 (12), p.1-11, Article 1058
• Main Authors: Lozano Mariscal, C. J., Classen, L., Unland Elorrieta, M. A., Kappes, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics and Cosmology; Elementary Particles; Explosions; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; High energy astronomy; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Neutrinos; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear Physics; Optical measuring instruments; Photocathodes; Photosensitivity; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Field Theories; Quantum Field Theory; Regular Article - Experimental Physics; Sensitivity; Sensors; South Pole; String Theory; Supernovae; Telescopes
• ISSN: 1434-6044; 1434-6052
• DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09809-y

New optical sensors with a segmented photosensitive area are being developed for the next generation of neutrino telescopes at the South Pole. In addition to increasing sensitivity to high-energy astrophysical neutrinos, we show that this will also lead to a significant improvement in sensitivity to MeV neutrinos, such as those produced in core-collapse supernovae (CCSN). These low-energy neutrinos can provide a detailed picture of the events after stellar core collapse, testing our understanding of these violent explosions. We present studies on the event-based detection of MeV neutrinos with a segmented sensor and, for the first time, the potential of a corresponding detector in the deep ice at the South Pole for the detection of extra-galactic CCSN. We find that exploiting temporal coincidences between signals in different photocathode segments, a 27 M ⊙ progenitor mass CCSN can be detected up to a distance of 341 kpc with a false detection rate of 0.01 year - 1 with a detector consisting of 10,000 sensors. Increasing the number of sensors to 20,000 and reducing the optical background by a factor of 70 expands the range such that a CCSN detection rate of 0.1 per year is achieved, while keeping the false detection rate at 0.01 year - 1 .