FIRST ACTIVITIES IN ACOUSTIC DETECTION OF PARTICLES IN UPV

The first activities related to acoustic detection of particles by DISAO research group in the Univesitat Politècnica de València are described. We are applying some techniques from physic, engineering and oceanographic acoustics to face the high energy neutrino underwater acoustic detection challenge. The work is focused mainly in two topics: design, characterization and calibration of hydrophones, and simulation of the propagation of the signal in the sea. We present also some examples for these two topics: piezoelectric modelling and transducer simulation, calibration of hydrophones using MLS signals, and evaluation of the contribution of the sea surface noise to the deep water noise in the Mediterranean Sea by means of simulations of propagation of sound.