Acoustic search for high-energy neutrinos in the Lake Baikal: Results and plans

We report the present status and perspectives of the feasibility study to detect cosmic neutrinos acoustically in the Lake Baikal. The results of background studies are presented. It was shown that most of the detected neutrino-like pulses come from the lake surface. This fact has been used in the project of an acoustic prototype detector that consists of compact Acoustic Sensor Modules with 4-channel antennas each, arranged above the Baikal Neutrino Telescope at shallow depths and “listening” the deep-water layers of the lake.