International School of Cosmic Ray Astrophysics

15^th  Course: "Astrophysics at Ultra-high Energies"

 20-27 June 2006
Ettore Majorana Centre
Erice, Sicily, Italy

Topic: NEMO : a project for a km3 underwater detector for astrophysical neutrinos in the Mediterranean Sea
Lecturer: Isabella Amore

The activities towards the realisation of a km3-scale underwater neutrino detector, carried out by the NEMO Collaboration, will be presented. A long-term survey of a 3500 m deep site close to the south west coast of Sicily (Capo Passero) has shown that this site is optimal for the installation of the detector.  A complete feasibility study, that has considered all the components of the detector as well as its deployment, has been carried out demonstrating that technological solutions exist for the realization of the km3 neutrino telsecope in the Mediterranean Sea.  The Collaboration is now installing, 25 km E from Catania (Sicily) at 2050 m depth, the "NEMO phase 1"an underwater test site to perform long-term tests of prototypes and new technologies for the future km3 detector.