Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1771275 | Astroparticle Physics | 2011 | 12 Pages |
Abstract
Using the South Pole Acoustic Test Setup (SPATS) and a retrievable transmitter deployed in holes drilled for the IceCube experiment, we have measured the attenuation of acoustic signals by South Pole ice at depths between 190 m and 500 m. Three data sets, using different acoustic sources, have been analyzed and give consistent results. The method with the smallest systematic uncertainties yields an amplitude attenuation coefficient α = 3.20 ± 0.57 km−1 between 10 and 30 kHz, considerably larger than previous theoretical estimates. Expressed as an attenuation length, the analyses give a consistent result for λ ≡ 1/α of ∼300 m with 20% uncertainty. No significant depth or frequency dependence has been found.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Authors
R. Abbasi, Y. Abdou, T. Abu-Zayyad, J. Adams, J.A. Aguilar, M. Ahlers, K. Andeen, J. Auffenberg, X. Bai, M. Baker, S.W. Barwick, R. Bay, J.L. Bazo Alba, K. Beattie, J.J. Beatty, S. Bechet, J.K. Becker, K.-H. Becker, M.L. Benabderrahmane, J. Berdermann,