Wide field aplanatic two-mirror telescopes for ground-based γ-ray astronomy

Vassiliev, V. V.; Fegan, S. J.; Brousseau, Patrick

doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.04.002

Cited by 174 publications

(153 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Using several small sensors in one channel has the advantage that the application of solid cones is possible in terms of weight and transmission and costs for photo sensors can be kept low due to their at least two times higher compression ratio. The Davies-Cotton design [15] is known to be promising for wide field prime-focus telescopes and was studied earlier analytically [16] and through simulations [17]. However, the parametrizations are moderately accurate and non existing for tessellated reflectors.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…less spherical aberration. To mirror the result for the ideal Davies-Cotton, several non leading terms are added giving a consistent picture for both developments as shown in In [16] and [17], 3 rd order developments for the DaviesCotton and sherical mirror, respectively, have been discussed. The obtained coefficients are repeated here for completeness in table A.1.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3 rd DC approx. order [17] from [16] and the corresponding resolution in term of root-mean-square: The upper integration bound in r originates from the fact that the optical system was scaled to meet a reflector mirror of d = 1, hence r = 1/2. Taylor development of the above formulas brings the desired result…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Schwarzschild-Coudé design (e.g. [16]) is not considered further, as it presents technical and cost challenges compared to a conservative CTA proposal using a prime optics design (see also the comments in section 2.1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Design constraints on Cherenkov telescopes with Davies–Cotton reflectors

Bretz

Ribordy

2013

Astroparticle Physics

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This paper discusses the construction of high-performance ground-based gamma-ray Cherenkov telescopes with a Davies-Cotton reflector. For the design of such telescopes, usually physics constrains the field-of-view, while the photo-sensor size is defined by limited options. Including the effect of light-concentrators in front of the photo sensor, it is demonstrated that these constraints are enough to mutually constrain all other design parameters. The dependability of the various design parameters naturally arises once a relationship between the value of the point-spread functions at the edge of the field-of-view and the pixel field-of-view is introduced. To be able to include this constraint into a system of equations, an analytical description for the point-spread function of a tessellated Davies-Cotton reflector is derived from Taylor developments and ray-tracing simulations. Including higher order terms renders the result precise on the percent level. Design curves are provided within the typical phase space of Cherenkov telescopes. The impact of all design parameters on the overall design is discussed. Allowing an immediate comparison of several options with identical physics performance allows the determination of the most cost efficient solution. Emphasize is given on the possible application of solid light concentrators with their typically about two times better concentration allowing the use of small photo sensors such as Geiger-mode avalanche photo diodes. This is discussed in more details in the context of possible design options for the Cherenkov Telescope Array. In particular, a solution for a 60 mm 2 photo sensor with hollow cone is compared to a 36 mm 2 with solid cone.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Design constraints on Cherenkov telescopes with Davies–Cotton reflectors

Bretz

Ribordy

2013

Astroparticle Physics

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“…and VERITAS collaborations: a 12 m diameter Davies-Cotton [16] reflector with f/D = 1.3 and a PMT-based camera covering at least 7 • FoV. An alternative design based on the SchwarzschildCouder [17] dual-mirror optical layout and a SiPMbased camera is being developed. See top and bottom right panels of figure 2.…”

Section: Medium Size Telescopesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Cherenkov Telescope Array

Bigongiari

2016

Nuclear and Particle Physics Proceedings

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The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is planned to be the next generation ground based observatory for very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray astronomy. Gamma-rays provide a powerful insight into the non-thermal universe and hopefully a unique probe for new physics. Imaging Cherenkov telescopes have already discovered more than 170 VHE gamma-ray emitters providing plentiful of valuable data and clearly demonstrating the power of this technique. In spite of the impressive results there are indications that the known sources represent only the tip of the iceberg. A major step in sensitivity is needed to increase the number of detected sources, observe short time-scale variability and improve morphological studies of extended sources. An extended energy coverage is advisable to observe far-away extragalactic objects and improve spectral analysis. CTA aims to increase the sensitivity by an order of magnitude compared to current facilities, to extend the accessible gamma-ray energies from a few tens of GeV to a hundred of TeV, and to improve on other parameters like angular and energy resolution. CTA will provide moreover a full sky-coverage by featuring an array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes in both hemispheres.This paper presents an overview of the technical design and summarize the current status of the project. CTA prospects for some key science topics like the origin of relativistic cosmic particles, the acceleration mechanisms in extreme environments such as neutron stars and black holes and searches for Dark Matter are discussed.

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Status of the Cherenkov Telescope Array project

Almeida

2015

Astron Nachr

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Gamma-ray astronomy holds a great potential for astrophysics, particle physics, and cosmology. The CTA is an international initiative to build the next generation of ground-based gamma-ray observatories which will represent a factor of 5-10× improvement in the sensitivity of observations in the range 100 GeV-10 TeV, as well as an extension of the observational capabilities down to energies below 100 GeV and beyond 100 TeV. The array will consist of two telescope networks (one in the northern hemisphere and another in the south) so to achieve a full-sky coverage, and will be composed by a hybrid system of 4 different telescope types. It will operate as an observatory, granting open access to the community through calls for submission of proposals competing for observation time. The CTA will give us access to the non-thermal and high-energy universe at an unprecedented level, and will be one of the main instruments for high-energy astrophysics and astroparticle physics of the next 30 years. CTA has now entered its prototyping phase with the first, stand-alone instruments being built. Brazil is an active member of the CTA consortium, and the project is represented in Latin America also by Argentina, Mexico, and Chile. In the next few months the consortium will define the site for installation of CTA South, which might come to be hosted in the Chilean Andes, with important impact for the high-energy community in Latin America. In this talk we will present the basic concepts of the CTA and the detailed project of the observatory. Emphasis will be put on its scientific potential and on the Latin-American involvement in the preparation and construction of the observatory, whose first seed, the ASTRI mini-array, is currently being constructed in Sicily, in a cooperation between Italy, Brazil, and South Africa. ASTRI should be installed on the final CTA site in 2016, whereas the full CTA array is expected to be operational by the end of the decade.

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Wide field aplanatic two-mirror telescopes for ground-based γ-ray astronomy

Cited by 174 publications

References 18 publications

Design constraints on Cherenkov telescopes with Davies–Cotton reflectors

Design constraints on Cherenkov telescopes with Davies–Cotton reflectors

The Cherenkov Telescope Array

Status of the Cherenkov Telescope Array project

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