In situ measurements of optical parameters in Lake Baikal with the help of a Neutrino telescope.
We present results of an experiment performed in Lake Baikal at a depth of approximately 1 km. The photomultipliers of an underwater neutrino telescope under construction at this site were illuminated by a distant laser. The experiment not only provided a useful cross-check of the time calibration of the detector but also allowed us to determine inherent optical parameters of the water in a way that was complementary to standard methods. In 1997 we measured an absorption length of 22 m and an asymptotic attenuation length of 18 m. The effective scattering length was measured as 480 m. By use of (cos theta) = 0.95 (0.90) for the average scattering angle, this length corresponds to a geometric scattering length of 24 (48) m.
Balkanov
V
V
Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, 60-th October Anniversary Prospect 7a, 117312 Moscow, Russia.
Belolaptikov
I
I
Bezrukov
L
L
Chensky
A
A
Budnev
N
N
Danilchenko
I
I
Dzhilkibaev
Z A
ZA
Domogatsky
G
G
Doroshenko
A
A
Fialkovsky
S
S
Gaponenko
O
O
Garus
A
A
Gress
T
T
Karle
A
A
Klabukov
A
A
Klimov
A
A
Klimushin
S
S
Koshechkin
A
A
Kulepov
V
V
Kuzmichev
L
L
Lubsandorzhiev
B
B
Lovzov
S
S
Mikolajski
T
T
Milenin
M
M
Mirgazov
R
R
Moroz
A
A
Moseiko
N
N
Nikiforov
S
S
Osipova
E
E
Pandel
D
D
Panfilov
A
A
Parfenov
Y
Y
Pavlov
A
A
Petukhov
D
D
Pokhil
P
P
Pokolev
P
P
Popova
E
E
Rozanov
M
M
Rubzov
V
V
Sokalski
I
I
Spiering
C
C
Streicher
O
O
Tarashansky
B
B
Thon
T
T
Wischnewski
R
R
Yashin
I
I