Technical and scientific performance of the prototype Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope for CTA

C. B. Adams, G. Ambrosi, M. Ambrosio, C. Aramo, P. I. Batista, W. Benbow, B. Bertucci, E. Bissaldi, M. Bitossi, A. Boiano, C. Bonavolontà, R. Bose, A. Brill, A. M. Brown, J. H. Buckley, R. Canestrari, M. Capasso, M. Caprai, C. E. Covault, D. DepaoliL. Di Venere, M. Errando, S. Fegan, Q. Feng, E. Fiandrini, A. Furniss, A. Gent, N. Giglietto, F. Giordano, E. Giro, R. Halliday, O. Hervet, J. Holder, T. B. Humensky, S. Incardona, M. Ionica, W. Jin, D. Kieda, F. Licciulli, S. Loporchio, G. Marsella, V. Masone, K. Meagher, T. Meures, B. A.W. Mode, S. A.I. Mognet, R. Mukherjee, D. Nieto, A. Okumura, N. Otte, F. R. Pantaleo, R. Paoletti, G. Pareschi, F. Di Pierro, E. Pueschel, D. Ribeiro, L. Riitano, E. Roache, D. Ross, J. Rousselle, A. Rugliancich, M. Santander, R. Shang, L. Stiaccini, H. Tajima, L. P. Taylor, L. Tosti, G. Tovmassian, G. Tripodo, V. Vagelli, M. Valentino, J. Vandenbroucke, V. V. Vassiliev, J. J. Watson, R. White, D. A. Williams, P. Yu, A. Zink

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next-generation ground-based observatory for very-high-energy gamma rays. One candidate design for CTA’s medium-sized telescopes consists of the Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT), featuring innovative dual-mirror optics. The SCT project has built and is currently operating a 9.7-m prototype SCT (pSCT) at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO); such optical design enables the use of a compact camera with state-of-the art silicon photomultiplier detectors. A partially-equipped camera has recently successfully detected the Crab Nebula with a statistical significance of 8.6 standard deviations. A funded upgrade of the pSCT focal plane sensors and electronics is currently ongoing, which will bring the total number of channels from 1600 to 11328 and the telescope field of view from about 2.7 to 8. In this work, we will describe the technical and scientific performance of the pSCT.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAstronomical Optics
Subtitle of host publicationDesign, Manufacture, and Test of Space and Ground Systems III
EditorsTony B. Hull, Daewook Kim, Pascal Hallibert, Fanny Keller
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510644786
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021
EventAstronomical Optics: Design, Manufacture, and Test of Space and Ground Systems III 2021 - San Diego, United States
Duration: Aug 1 2021Aug 5 2021

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume11820
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceAstronomical Optics: Design, Manufacture, and Test of Space and Ground Systems III 2021
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego
Period8/1/218/5/21

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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