The ANTARES neutrino project: status report

The ANTARES project aims to build a deep underwater Cherenkov neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. Currently the experiment is in the construction phase and has recently achieved two important milestones. The electro-optical cable to shore and the junction box that will distribute power to detector strings and allow data transmission have been deployed at the sea floor. A prototype string and a string for environmental parameter measurement have been deployed, connected to the cable using a manned submarine. Data have been sent to shore. The final ANTARES detector consisting in 12 strings each equipped with 75 photomultiplier tubes is planned to be fully deployed and taking data by the end of 2006.