ANTARES (telescope)

ANTARES (Astronomy with a Neutrino Telescope and Abyss environmental RESearch) was a large underwater neutrino detector located in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Toulon, France. It operated from 2006 until 2022, when it was decommissioned. The primary purpose of ANTARES was to search for high-energy neutrinos originating from astrophysical sources such as supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei, and gamma-ray bursts.

Neutrinos are elementary particles that interact very weakly with matter, allowing them to travel vast distances without being deflected. This makes them ideal messengers from the most energetic and distant regions of the universe. However, their weak interaction also makes them difficult to detect.

ANTARES used the Cherenkov radiation produced by muons (and electrons) created when neutrinos interact with the seawater or the seabed. The detector consisted of a three-dimensional array of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) arranged on twelve vertical lines anchored to the seabed at a depth of approximately 2,500 meters. These PMTs detected the faint flashes of Cherenkov light, allowing scientists to reconstruct the direction and energy of the incoming neutrinos.

The ANTARES detector was not only used for neutrino astronomy, but also for environmental studies of the deep-sea environment. It was equipped with instruments to monitor ocean currents, salinity, temperature, and bioluminescence. The data collected contributed to a better understanding of the Mediterranean ecosystem.

While ANTARES was the largest underwater neutrino telescope in the Northern Hemisphere at the time of its operation, it has now been succeeded by KM3NeT, a larger and more sensitive neutrino detector being built at several sites in the Mediterranean Sea. KM3NeT aims to build upon the legacy of ANTARES and significantly improve our understanding of high-energy astrophysical phenomena through neutrino detection.