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 language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Astronomical Optics |
| Subtitle of host publication | Design, Manufacture, and Test of Space and Ground Systems III |
| Editors | Tony B. Hull, Daewook Kim, Pascal Hallibert, Fanny Keller |
| Publisher | SPIE |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781510644786 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Astronomical Optics: Design, Manufacture, and Test of Space and Ground Systems III 2021 - San Diego, United States Duration: Aug 1 2021 → Aug 5 2021 |
Publication series
| Name | Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering |
|---|---|
| Volume | 11820 |
| ISSN (Print) | 0277-786X |
| ISSN (Electronic) | 1996-756X |
Conference
| Conference | Astronomical Optics: Design, Manufacture, and Test of Space and Ground Systems III 2021 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | San Diego |
| Period | 8/1/21 → 8/5/21 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 SPIE.
Keywords
- Aplanatic optical system
- Gamma rays
- Imaging Cherenkov telescopes
- Schwarzschild-Couder telescope
- Silicon photomultipliers
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