Underwater Telescope of Neutrino

The seabed of Methoni, outside Pilos, is already implementing a pioneering project relevant to the astroparticle physics, which has received the name NESTOR (Neutrino Extended Submarine Telescope with Oceanographic Research), with clear reference to the mythical king of Pilos. It was installed at a depth of 4,200 meters and it is located at the same point where the greatest depth of the Mediterranean Sea is: the Messinian Inousses Well, at 5,121 meters.

This is about an underwater telescope of neutrino. Netrino are these almost intangible, invisible particles, which are considered able to provide us important information about both the past and the future of our Universe. The long-term plan includes the installation of several really tall towers at the seabed, which will all compose the underwater telescope. Each floor will be hexagonal, with each corner containing sensitive photomultipliers, who will be responsible for the detection of neutrino when it interacts with water molecules.

The choice of the seabed was because the water absorbs the cosmic radiation, which makes it difficult to detect these strange particles. Recently, the first floor was installed at a depth of 4 km below sea level. It is worth mentioning that this work is the first European attempt to create an underwater telescope of neutrino.