Measurement of sound speed versus depth in Antarctic ice with the South Pole Acoustic Test Setup

The feasibility and design of an acoustic neutrino detection array in the South Pole ice depend on the acoustic properties of the ice. The South Pole Acoustic Test Setup (SPATS) was built to evaluate the acoustic characteristics of the ice in the 1–100 kHz frequency range. The vertical sound speed profile relates to the level of refraction of the surface noise and determines the reconstruction precision of the neutrino direction. The SPATS speed of sound analysis for pressure and shear waves is presented.