The mDOM. A multi-PMT optical module for IceCube-Gen2

Following the discovery of an astrophysical neutrino flux by IceCube in 2013, planning is under way for the next generation neutrino telescope at the South Pole, IceCube-Gen2, which will significantly enhance and expand IceCube's sensitivity both towards high neutrino energies as well as in the low-energy regime. In the scope of these efforts, a novel multi-PMT optical sensor is being developed which, following the KM3NeT design, consists of an array of several small PMTs inside a transparent pressure vessel. This design provides some significant advantages compared to the conventional single-PMT module design, such as an increased effective area, homogeneous coverage of the full solid angle, and intrinsic angular sensitivity. The talk presents an overview of the project and its current status, featuring hardware development, testing, and simulation efforts.