310 research outputs found
Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic ray showers with a single-pixel fluorescence telescope
We present a concept for large-area, low-cost detection of ultra-high energy
cosmic rays (UHECRs) with a Fluorescence detector Array of Single-pixel
Telescopes (FAST), addressing the requirements for the next generation of UHECR
experiments. In the FAST design, a large field of view is covered by a few
pixels at the focal plane of a mirror or Fresnel lens. We report first results
of a FAST prototype installed at the Telescope Array site, consisting of a
single 200 mm photomultiplier tube at the focal plane of a 1 m Fresnel lens
system taken from the prototype of the JEM-EUSO experiment. The FAST prototype
took data for 19 nights, demonstrating remarkable operational stability. We
detected laser shots at distances of several kilometres as well as 16 highly
significant UHECR shower candidates.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic
Spectrum and Variability of Mrk501 as observed by the CAT Imaging Telescope
The CAT Imaging Telescope has observed the BL Lac object Markarian 501
between March and August 1997. We report here on the variability over this time
including several large flares. We present also preliminary spectra for all
these data, for the low emission state, and for the largest flare.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Late
Development of a strategy for calibrating the novel SiPM camera of the SST-1M telescope proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
CTA will comprise a sub-array of up to 70 small size telescopes (SSTs) at the
southern array. The SST-1M project, a 4 m-diameter Davies Cotton telescope with
9 degrees FoV and a 1296 pixels SiPM camera, is designed to meet the
requirements of the next generation ground based gamma-ray observatory CTA in
the energy range above 3 TeV. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) cameras of
gamma-ray telescopes can achieve good performance even during high night sky
background conditions. Defining a fully automated calibration strategy of SiPM
cameras is of great importance for large scale production validation and online
calibration. The SST-1M sub-consortium developed a software compatible with CTA
pipeline software (CTApipe). The calibration of the SST-1M camera is based on
the Camera Test Setup (CTS), a set of LED boards mounted in front of the
camera. The CTS LEDs are operated in pulsed or continuous mode to emulate
signal and night sky background respectively. Continuous and pulsed light data
analysis allows us to extract single pixel calibration parameters to be used
during CTA operation.Comment: All CTA contributions at arXiv:1709.0348
Performance of a small size telescope (SST-1M) camera for gamma-ray astronomy with the Cherenkov Telescope Array
The foreseen implementations of the Small Size Telescopes (SST) in CTA will
provide unique insights into the highest energy gamma rays offering fundamental
means to discover and under- stand the sources populating the Galaxy and our
local neighborhood. Aiming at such a goal, the SST-1M is one of the three
different implementations that are being prototyped and tested for CTA. SST-1M
is a Davies-Cotton single mirror telescope equipped with a unique camera
technology based on SiPMs with demonstrated advantages over classical
photomultipliers in terms of duty-cycle. In this contribution, we describe the
telescope components, the camera, and the trigger and readout system. The
results of the commissioning of the camera using a dedicated test setup are
then presented. The performances of the camera first prototype in terms of
expected trigger rates and trigger efficiencies for different night-sky
background conditions are presented, and the camera response is compared to
end-to-end simulations.Comment: All CTA contributions at arXiv:1709.0348
A novel method for the absolute fluorescence yield measurement by AIRFLY
One of the goals of the AIRFLY (AIR FLuorescence Yield) experiment is to
measure the absolute fluorescence yield induced by electrons in air to better
than 10% precision. We introduce a new technique for measurement of the
absolute fluorescence yield of the 337 nm line that has the advantage of
reducing the systematic uncertainty due to the detector calibration. The
principle is to compare the measured fluorescence yield to a well known process
- the Cerenkov emission. Preliminary measurements taken in the BFT (Beam Test
Facility) in Frascati, Italy with 350 MeV electrons are presented. Beam tests
in the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator at the Argonne National Laboratory, USA
with 14 MeV electrons have also shown that this technique can be applied at
lower energies.Comment: presented at the 5th Fluorescence Workshop, El Escorial - Madrid,
Spain, 16 - 20 September 200
Temperature and Humidity Dependence of Air Fluorescence Yield measured by AIRFLY
The fluorescence detection of ultra high energy cosmic rays requires a
detailed knowledge of the fluorescence light emission from nitrogen molecules
over a wide range of atmospheric parameters, corresponding to altitudes typical
of the cosmic ray shower development in the atmosphere. We have studied the
temperature and humidity dependence of the fluorescence light spectrum excited
by MeV electrons in air. Results for the 313.6 nm, 337.1 nm, 353.7 nm and 391.4
nm bands are reported in this paper. We found that the temperature and humidity
dependence of the quenching process changes the fluorescence yield by a
sizeable amount (up to 20%) and its effect must be included for a precise
estimation of the energy of ultra high energy cosmic rays.Comment: presented at the 5th Fluorescence Workshop, El Escorial - Madrid,
Spain, 16 - 20 September 2007, to appear in Nuclear Instruments and Methods
The CAT Imaging Telescope for Very-High-Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy
The CAT (Cherenkov Array at Themis) imaging telescope, equipped with a
very-high-definition camera (546 fast phototubes with 0.12 degrees spacing
surrounded by 54 larger tubes in two guard rings) started operation in Autumn
1996 on the site of the former solar plant Themis (France). Using the
atmospheric Cherenkov technique, it detects and identifies very high energy
gamma-rays in the range 250 GeV to a few tens of TeV. The instrument, which has
detected three sources (Crab nebula, Mrk 421 and Mrk 501), is described in
detail.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures. submitted to Elsevier Preprin
Using muon rings for the optical throughput calibration of the SST-1M prototype for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) are ground-based instruments
devoted to the study of very high energy gamma-rays coming from space. The
detection technique consists of observing images created by the Cherenkov light
emitted when gamma rays, or more generally cosmic rays, propagate through the
atmosphere. While in the case of protons or gamma-rays the images present a
filled and more or less elongated shape, energetic muons penetrating the
atmosphere are visualised as characteristic circular rings or arcs. A
relatively simple analysis of the ring images allows the reconstruction of all
the relevant parameters of the detected muons, such as the energy, the impact
parameter, and the incoming direction, with the final aim to use them to
calibrate the total optical throughput of the given IACT telescope. We present
the results of preliminary studies on the use of images created by muons as
optical throughput calibrators of the single mirror small size telescope
prototype SST-1M proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array.Comment: In Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference
(ICRC2015), The Hague, The Netherlands. All CTA contributions at
arXiv:1508.0589
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