Monitoring of optical properties of deep waters of Lake Baikal in 2021-2022

TL;DR

This study reports a two-year monitoring of optical properties in Lake Baikal's deep waters, focusing on absorption and scattering of light relevant for neutrino detection, revealing temporal variations and spectral characteristics.

Contribution

It provides detailed measurements of optical properties at multiple wavelengths over two years, enhancing understanding of deep water optical variability for neutrino telescope calibration.

Findings

Measured weekly absorption and scattering lengths at 9 spectral points

Identified long-term variations in optical properties

Analyzed spectral changes over two years

Abstract

We present the results of the two-year (2021-2022) monitoring of absorption and scattering lengths of light with wavelength 400-620 nm within the effective volume of the deep underwater neutrino telescope Baikal-GVD, which were measured by a device Baikal-5D No.2. The Baikal-5D No.2. was installed during the 2021 winter expedition at a depth of 1180 m. The absorption and scattering lengths were measured every week in 9 spectral points. The device Baikal-5D No.2 also has the ability to measure detailed scattering and absorption spectra. The data obtained make it possible to estimate the range of changes in the absorption and scattering lengths over a sufficiently long period of time and to investigate the relationship between the processes of changes in absorption and scattering. An analysis was made of changes in absorption and scattering spectra for the period 2021-2022.