Alignment of the optical system of the 9.7-m prototype Schwarzchild-Coulder Telescope

C. Adams, R. Alfaro, G. Ambrosi, M. Ambrosio, C. Aramo, W. Benbow, B. Bertucci, E. Bissaldi, M. Bitossi, A. Boiano, C. Bonavolontá, R. Bose, A. Brill, J. H. Buckley, K. Byrum, R. A. Cameron, M. Capasso, M. Caprai, C. E. Covault, L. Di VenereS. Fegan, Q. Feng, E. Fiandrini, A. Furniss, M. Garczarczyk, F. Garfias, A. Gent, N. Giglietto, F. Giordano, M. M. González, R. Halliday, T. B. Humensky, D. Ribeiro, O. Hervet, G. Hughes, M. Ionica, A. Iriarte, W. Jin, P. Kaaret, D. Kieda, B. Kim, M. Limon, S. Loporchio, T. Meures, B. A.W. Mode, R. Mukherjee, D. Nieto, A. Okumura, N. Otte, N. La Palombara, F. R. Pantaleo, R. Paoletti, G. Pareschi, A. Petrashyk, J. Powell, E. Roache, J. Rousselle, A. Rugliancich, J. Ruíz-Díaz-Soto, M. Santander, S. Schlenstedt, S. Scuderi, R. Shang, G. Sironi, B. Stevenson, L. Stiaccini, L. P. Taylor, L. Tosti, G. Tovmassian, V. Vagelli, M. Valentino, J. Vandenbroucke, V. V. Vassiliev, S. P. Wakely, P. Wilcox, D. A. Williams, P. Yu

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

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The novel 9.7m Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT), utilizing aspheric dual-mirror optical system, has been constructed as a prototype medium size x-ray telescope for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory. The prototype SCT (pSCT) is designed to achieve simultaneously the wide (≥ 8°) field of view and the superior imaging resolution (0.067 per pixel) to significantly improve scientific capabilities of the observatory in conducting the sky surveys, the follow-up observations of multi-messenger transients with poorly known initial localization and the morphology studies of x-ray sources with angular extent. In this submission, we describe the hardware and software implementations of the telescope optical system as well as the methods specifically developed to align its complex optical system, in which both primary and secondary mirrors are segmented. The pSCT has detected Crab Nebula in June 2020 during ongoing commissioning, which was delayed due to worldwide pandemic and is not yet completed. Verification of pSCT performance is continuing and further improvement of optical alignment is anticipated.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationGround-Based and Airborne Telescopes VIII
EditorsHeather K. Marshall, Jason Spyromilio, Tomonori Usuda
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510636774
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020
EventGround-Based and Airborne Telescopes VIII 2020 - Virtual, Online, United States
Duration: Dec 14 2020Dec 22 2020

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume11445
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceGround-Based and Airborne Telescopes VIII 2020
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityVirtual, Online
Period12/14/2012/22/20

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© COPYRIGHT SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Keywords

  • Aplanatic Optical System
  • Gamma Ray
  • Imaging Cherenkov Telescopes

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