DISCO: An optical instrument to calibrate neutrino detection in complex media

Abstract: We present a conceptual design of a high-performance camera system with applications to neutrino detectors, deep sea exploration, and glaciology. The design combines ultra-sensitive cameras with a number of well-calibrated light sources enclosed in a pressure vessel. The instrument will be capable of withstanding extreme environments such as those encountered in Antarctica or the deep ocean, and be deployable as a standalone system that can be retrieved for deep-sea exploration or glaciology. The camera system is designed to be replicated and deployed in multiple detectors, requiring only modest modifications from one detector to another. The instrument combines a number of capabilities essential for neutrino detector calibrations, including characterization of the scattering and absorption properties of the optical medium, measurement of geometries via photogrammetry, and detector surveillance. The ability to deploy the instrument at different detector sites also offers opportunities for cross-calibration efforts. We present the conceptual design of the instrument and describe plans to produce a prototype.