The Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna Ultra-high Energy Neutrino Detector Design, Performance, and Sensitivity for 2006-2007 Balloon Flight

TL;DR

This paper details the design, implementation, and initial performance of the ANITA balloon payload for detecting ultra-high-energy neutrinos from Antarctica, with an emphasis on its potential sensitivity during the 2006-2007 flight.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive account of the ANITA detector's design, simulation, and performance metrics for ultra-high-energy neutrino detection from balloon-based observations.

Findings

Successful deployment and operation during the 2007 Antarctic flight

Performance metrics align with design expectations for neutrino detection

Projected sensitivity indicates promising potential for neutrino physics discoveries

Abstract

We present a detailed report on the experimental details of the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) long duration balloon payload, including the design philosophy and realization, physics simulations, performance of the instrument during its first Antarctic flight completed in January of 2007, and expectations for the limiting neutrino detection sensitivity. Neutrino physics results will be reported separately.