The throughput calibration of the VERITAS telescopes

The VERITAS Collaboration

The throughput calibration of the VERITAS telescopes

The VERITAS Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes are continuously exposed to varying weather conditions that have short and long-term effects on their response to Cherenkov light from extensive air showers. This work presents the implementation of a throughput calibration method for the VERITAS telescopes taking into account changes in the optical response and detector performance over time. Different methods to measure the total throughput of the instrument, which depend on mirror reflectivites and PMT camera gain and efficiency, are discussed as well as the effect of its evolution on energy thresholds, effective collection areas, and energy reconstruction. The application of this calibration in the VERITAS data analysis chain is discussed, including the validation using Monte Carlo simulations and observations of the Crab Nebula.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	721
Journal	Proceedings of Science
Volume	395
State	Published - Mar 18 2022
Event	37th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2021 - Virtual, Berlin, Germany Duration: Jul 12 2021 → Jul 23 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research is supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution, by NSERC in Canada, and by the Helmholtz Association in Germany. This research used resources provided by the Open Science Grid, which is supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. We acknowledge the excellent work of the technical support staff at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory and at the collaborating institutions in the construction and operation of the instrument.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons.

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@article{89d64a89f1b24cd5926aa84661674521,

title = "The throughput calibration of the VERITAS telescopes",

abstract = "Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes are continuously exposed to varying weather conditions that have short and long-term effects on their response to Cherenkov light from extensive air showers. This work presents the implementation of a throughput calibration method for the VERITAS telescopes taking into account changes in the optical response and detector performance over time. Different methods to measure the total throughput of the instrument, which depend on mirror reflectivites and PMT camera gain and efficiency, are discussed as well as the effect of its evolution on energy thresholds, effective collection areas, and energy reconstruction. The application of this calibration in the VERITAS data analysis chain is discussed, including the validation using Monte Carlo simulations and observations of the Crab Nebula.",

author = "{The VERITAS Collaboration} and Adams, {C. B.} and A. Archer and W. Benbow and A. Brill and Buckley, {J. H.} and M. Capasso and Christiansen, {J. L.} and Chromey, {A. J.} and M. Errando and A. Falcone and Farrell, {K. A.} and Q. Feng and Foote, {G. M.} and L. Fortson and A. Furniss and A. Gent and Gillanders, {G. H.} and C. Giuri and O. Gueta and D. Hanna and O. Hervet and J. Holder and B. Hona and Humensky, {T. B.} and W. Jin and P. Kaaret and M. Kertzman and D. Kieda and Kleiner, {T. K.} and S. Kumar and Lang, {M. J.} and M. Lundy and G. Maier and McGrath, {C. E.} and P. Moriarty and R. Mukherjee and D. Nieto and M. Nievas-Rosillo and S. O'Brien and Ong, {R. A.} and Otte, {A. N.} and Patel, {S. R.} and S. Patel and K. Pfrang and M. Pohl and Prado, {R. R.} and E. Pueschel and J. Quinn and K. Ragan and Reynolds, {P. T.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research is supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution, by NSERC in Canada, and by the Helmholtz Association in Germany. This research used resources provided by the Open Science Grid, which is supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy{\textquoteright}s Office of Science, and resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. We acknowledge the excellent work of the technical support staff at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory and at the collaborating institutions in the construction and operation of the instrument. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons.; 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2021 ; Conference date: 12-07-2021 Through 23-07-2021",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

day = "18",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "395",

journal = "Proceedings of Science",

issn = "1824-8039",

publisher = "Sissa Medialab Srl",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The throughput calibration of the VERITAS telescopes

AU - The VERITAS Collaboration

AU - Adams, C. B.

AU - Archer, A.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Brill, A.

AU - Buckley, J. H.

AU - Capasso, M.

AU - Christiansen, J. L.

AU - Chromey, A. J.

AU - Errando, M.

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Farrell, K. A.

AU - Feng, Q.

AU - Foote, G. M.

AU - Fortson, L.

AU - Furniss, A.

AU - Gent, A.

AU - Gillanders, G. H.

AU - Giuri, C.

AU - Gueta, O.

AU - Hanna, D.

AU - Hervet, O.

AU - Holder, J.

AU - Hona, B.

AU - Humensky, T. B.

AU - Jin, W.

AU - Kaaret, P.

AU - Kertzman, M.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Kleiner, T. K.

AU - Kumar, S.

AU - Lang, M. J.

AU - Lundy, M.

AU - Maier, G.

AU - McGrath, C. E.

AU - Moriarty, P.

AU - Mukherjee, R.

AU - Nieto, D.

AU - Nievas-Rosillo, M.

AU - O'Brien, S.

AU - Ong, R. A.

AU - Otte, A. N.

AU - Patel, S. R.

AU - Patel, S.

AU - Pfrang, K.

AU - Pohl, M.

AU - Prado, R. R.

AU - Pueschel, E.

AU - Quinn, J.

AU - Ragan, K.

AU - Reynolds, P. T.

N1 - Funding Information: This research is supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution, by NSERC in Canada, and by the Helmholtz Association in Germany. This research used resources provided by the Open Science Grid, which is supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. We acknowledge the excellent work of the technical support staff at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory and at the collaborating institutions in the construction and operation of the instrument. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons.

PY - 2022/3/18

Y1 - 2022/3/18

N2 - Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes are continuously exposed to varying weather conditions that have short and long-term effects on their response to Cherenkov light from extensive air showers. This work presents the implementation of a throughput calibration method for the VERITAS telescopes taking into account changes in the optical response and detector performance over time. Different methods to measure the total throughput of the instrument, which depend on mirror reflectivites and PMT camera gain and efficiency, are discussed as well as the effect of its evolution on energy thresholds, effective collection areas, and energy reconstruction. The application of this calibration in the VERITAS data analysis chain is discussed, including the validation using Monte Carlo simulations and observations of the Crab Nebula.

AB - Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes are continuously exposed to varying weather conditions that have short and long-term effects on their response to Cherenkov light from extensive air showers. This work presents the implementation of a throughput calibration method for the VERITAS telescopes taking into account changes in the optical response and detector performance over time. Different methods to measure the total throughput of the instrument, which depend on mirror reflectivites and PMT camera gain and efficiency, are discussed as well as the effect of its evolution on energy thresholds, effective collection areas, and energy reconstruction. The application of this calibration in the VERITAS data analysis chain is discussed, including the validation using Monte Carlo simulations and observations of the Crab Nebula.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144122964&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85144122964&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:85144122964

SN - 1824-8039

VL - 395

JO - Proceedings of Science

JF - Proceedings of Science

M1 - 721

T2 - 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2021

Y2 - 12 July 2021 through 23 July 2021

ER -

The throughput calibration of the VERITAS telescopes

Abstract

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