A prototype tank for the SWGO detector

TL;DR

This paper presents the development and testing of a prototype water Cherenkov detector for the SWGO observatory, including structural design, sensor testing, and simulation analysis of particle showers.

Contribution

It introduces a flexible prototype tank design and evaluates its detection capabilities through simulations and laboratory tests, advancing SWGO detector development.

Findings

Prototype tank successfully holds multiple detector types

Simulation shows water level impacts detection efficiency

Laboratory tests validate design and sensor configurations

Abstract

The Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO) is an international collaboration working on realizing a next-generation observatory located in the Southern hemisphere, which offers a privileged view of our galactic center. We are working on the construction of a prototype water Cherenkov detector at Politecnico di Milano using a flexible testing facility for several candidate light sensors and configurations. A structure able to hold different types of detectors in multiple configurations has been designed, built and tested in Politecnico's labs. Furthermore, an analytical study of muons and electrons showers has been carried out using the SWGO observatory simulation software to examine the correlation between the detection capabilities of the prototype tank and its water level.