Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO): the world’s first and largest ground-based gamma-ray observatory

Wolfgang Wild; Federico Ferrini

doi:10.1117/12.2630255

26 August 2022 Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO): the world’s first and largest ground-based gamma-ray observatory

Wolfgang Wild, Federico Ferrini

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12182, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IX; 121820P (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2630255
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Abstract

The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) is the next generation ground-based observatory for gamma-ray astronomy at very high energies. With initially 64 telescopes at two sites, CTAO will be the world’s largest and most sensitive high-energy gamma-ray observatory covering the full sky with a northern array located at the Roque de los Muchachos astronomical observatory on the island of La Palma (Spain) and a southern array at the European Southern Observatory Paranal site (Chile). Three classes of telescope types spread over a large area are required to cover the full CTAO very-high energy range from 20 GeV to 300 TeV. Building on the technology of current generation ground-based gamma-ray detectors (H.E.S.S., VERITAS and MAGIC), CTAO will be one order of magnitude more sensitive, and have unprecedented accuracy in its detection of high-energy gamma rays. Current gamma-ray telescope arrays host up to five individual telescopes, but CTAO is designed to detect gamma rays over a larger area and a wider field of view. Prototypes for the major subsystems including the various size telescopes and cameras have been developed and built at different places. CTAO is currently preparing for the full construction phase, both technically and organizationally, with the goal to achieve completion and enter the operation phase by 2027. CTAO will be the first ground-based gamma-ray observatory open to the worldwide astronomical and particle physics communities as a resource for data from unique, high-energy astronomical observations.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Wolfgang Wild and Federico Ferrini "Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO): the world’s first and largest ground-based gamma-ray observatory", Proc. SPIE 12182, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IX, 121820P (26 August 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2630255

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