Feasibility study of a new proton decay experiment at the South Pole

天体粒子物理学界正在寻找一种实用的方法来提高对质子衰变的敏感性，这是大统一理论最令人兴奋的预测之一，也是理解宇宙中观察到的物质反物质不对称性的基本基石。欧洲、日本和美国正在研究扩建现有的地下实验室和建造新的地下实验室，并面临巨大的挖掘和工程成本的挑战。在这里，我们想调查是否冰立方中微子天文台与其千兆吨仪器质量提供了一个有价值的和成本效益的替代方案。我们想研究一个多PMT模块阵列的最佳几何形状，以部署在IceCube内。冰立方将作为主动否决操作，提供相当于深地下站点的有效屏蔽。拟议的可行性研究将利用模拟和新的计算技术。此外，该提案还要求研发新的光子探测器和多光电倍增管模块。

The astroparticle physics community is searching for a practical way to improve the sensitivity to proton decay, which is one of the most exciting prediction of Grand Unified Theories and a fundamental corner stone for the understanding of matter anti-matter asymmetry observed in the Universe. The extension of existing and construction of new deep underground laboratories in Europe, Japan and USA is under investigation and challenged by enormous excavation and engineering costs. Here, we want to investigate whether the IceCube Neutrino Observatory with its GigaTon instrumented mass offers a valuable and cost effective alternative. We want to study the optimal geometry of an array of multi-PMTs modules to be deployed inside IceCube. IceCube will be operated as active veto providing an effective shielding equivalent to deep underground sites. The proposed feasibility study will utilize simulation and new computing technology. Moreover, a request for R&D on new photon detectors and multi-PMTs module is also contained in this proposal.