Acoustic Search for High Energy Neutrinos in Lake Baikal: Status and Perspectives

We report theoretical and experimental results of on-going feasibility studies to detect cosmic neutrinos acoustically in Lake Baikal. In order to examine ambient noise conditions and to develop re- spective pulse detection techniques a prototype device was created. The device is operating at a depth of 150 m at the site of the Baikal Neutrino Telescope and is capable to detect and classify acoustic signals with different shapes, as well as signals from neutrino- induced showers.