Acoustic properties of glacial ice for neutrino detection and the Enceladus Explorer

TL;DR

This paper investigates the acoustic properties of glacial ice for neutrino detection and explores the use of acoustics in the Enceladus Explorer for subsurface exploration and extraterrestrial life detection.

Contribution

It provides new measurements of ice acoustics at various sites and discusses applications for neutrino detection and extraterrestrial exploration using acoustic systems.

Findings

Measured attenuation and sound speed in ice at multiple sites.

Analyzed frequency response and directional dependencies of acoustic signals.

Developed acoustic transducer systems for ice exploration and neutrino detection.

Abstract

Ultra high energy neutrinos may be observed in ice by the emission of acoustic signals. The SPATS detector has investigated the possibility of observing GZK-neutrinos in the clear ice near the South Pole at the IceCube detector site. To explore other potential detection sites glacial ice in the Alps and in Antarctica has been surveyed for its acoustical properties. The purpose of the Enceladus Explorer (EnEx), on the other hand, is the search for extraterrestrial life on the Saturn moon Enceladus. Here acoustics is used to maneuver a subsurface probe inside the ice by trilateration of signals. A system of acoustic transducers has been developed to study both applications. In the south polar region of the moon Enceladus there are secluded crevasses. These are filled with liquid water, probably heated by tidal forces due to the short distance to Saturn. We intend to take a sample of water from these crevasses by using a combination of a melt down and steering probe called IceMole (IM). Maneuvering IM requires a good understanding of ice properties such as the speed of sound, the attenuation of acoustic signals in ice, their directional dependencies and their dependence on different frequencies. The technology developed for this positioning system could also contribute to the design of future large scale acoustic neutrino detectors. We present our analysis methods and the findings on attenuation, sound speed, and frequency response obtained at several sites in the Alps and Antarctica.