Research and calibration of acoustic sensors in ice within the SPATS (South Pole Acoustic Test Setup) project

We present development work aiming towards a large scale ice-based hybrid detector including acoustic sensors for the detection of neutrinos in the GZK range. A facility for characterization and calibration of acoustic sensors in clear (bubble-free) ice has been developed and the first measurements done at this facility are presented. Further, a resonant sensor intended primarily for characterization of the ambient noise in the ice at the South Pole has been developed and some data from its performance are given.