The Baikal-GVD detector calibration

TL;DR

The paper details the calibration procedures of the Baikal-GVD neutrino detector, highlighting the methods, precision achieved, and validation of calibration techniques over three years of operation.

Contribution

It presents the calibration techniques and validation processes for the Baikal-GVD detector, including improvements in charge calibration and precise time calibration methods.

Findings

Achieved 1.5-2.0 ns precision in in-situ time calibration.

Validated calibration performance over three years of data.

Improved charge calibration accuracy.

Abstract

In April 2019, the Baikal-GVD collaboration finished the installation of the fourth and fifth clusters of the neutrino telescope Baikal-GVD. Momentarily, 1440 Optical Modules (OM) are installed in the largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Baikal, instrumenting 0.25 cubic km of sensitive volume. The Baikal-GVD is thus the largest neutrino telescope on the Northern Hemisphere. The first phase of the detector construction is going to be finished in 2021 with 9 clusters, 2592 OMs in total, however the already installed clusters are stand-alone units which are independently operational and taking data from their commissioning. Huge number of channels as well as strict requirements for the precision of the time and charge calibration (ns, p.e.) make calibration procedures vital and very complex tasks. The inter cluster time calibration is performed with numerous calibration systems. The charge calibration is carried out with a Single Photo-Electron peak. The various data acquired during the last three years in regular and special calibration runs validate successful performance of the calibration systems and of the developed calibration techniques. The precision of the charge calibration has been improved and the time dependence of the obtained calibration parameters have been cross-checked. The multiple calibration sources verified a 1.5 - 2.0 ns precision of the in-situ time calibrations. The time walk effect has been studied in detail with in situ specialized calibration runs.