INFN and Alcatel Submarine Networks sign contract for the extension of the largest undersea high energy Neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean
Located in Southeastern Sicily, the new submarine structure will connect the existing subsea multidisciplinary laboratory.
– Italy’s Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) and Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) have signed a contract to supply and install a cable termination frame – CTF-3 – to deliver power and communications connectivity to the institute’s underwater multidisciplinary laboratory. The lab, which lies 3,500m deep off the Sicilian coast, incorporates a high-energy neutrino telescope – the largest in the Mediterranean.
This contract is being financed by the Italian Ministry of University and Research under the European Recovery Plan aims at implementing a high energy neutrino telescope.
The submarine system will transmit data from seabed detectors to the shore in real time. These data will be used by researchers, universities and science laboratories to help provide a better understanding of the universe through the lens of multi-messenger astronomy.
The technology ASN is providing is based on a solution initially developed for energy sector applications and features a complete power supply to the laboratory detection unit to allow for the collection of all available data. In 2022, Alcatel Submarine Networks successfully supplied and installed a similar cable termination frame in the same area.
Giacomo Cuttone, INFN – Scientific Leader of the KM3NeT4RR project said: “This project will further offer to INFN and to the Italian research community advanced applications to implement new research models, under the framework of the MUR PNRR Km3NeT4RR project. ASN’s state-of-the art technology will help us in taking a significant step to enhance astroparticle physics and other sciences such as seismology and the predictability of geophysical events.”
Alain Biston, President of Alcatel Submarine Networks, said: “ASN has long been the world leader in providing subsea communications technology to telecoms operators. More recently, we have been putting our innovative technology at the service of organisations including scientific research bodies we’re delighted to further support INFN in this challenging and important new project.” ASN and INFN have previously cooperated in the deployment of branches of the submarine system network, used to install submarine observatories capable of monitoring acoustic and geophysics signals, bioluminescence and cosmic rays, under the framework of the IDMAR project, funded by the Sicilian region.
ASN and INFN have previously cooperated in the deployment of branches of the submarine system network, used to install submarine observatories capable of monitoring acoustic and geophysics signals, bioluminescence and cosmic rays, under the framework of the IDMAR project, funded by the Sicilian region.