CTA

OVERVIEW

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is an initiative to build the next generation ground-based instrument for very-high-energy (VHE) gamma ray astronomy, with a much better sensitivity and higher resolution than the current ones. The design foresees to build two arrays of IACTs (Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes), each consisting of tens of telescopes of different mirror sizes that will detect the Cherenkov radiation generated by gamma rays that penetrate the Earth atmosphere.

IACTs and Cherenkov radiation [+]

IACTs are large optical reflectors which can detect cosmic rays, in particular gamma rays, thanks to the Cherenkov method. Gamma rays that arrive at the Earth's atmosphere are absorbed by it and decay giving place to a cascade of secondary particles. These particles emit radiation in the visible and the ultraviolet range at a characteristic angle, known as Cherenkov radiation, which pass through the atmosphere. IACTs can record the radiation emitted by secondary particles produced by one single original gamma. The image produced by this radiation has special characteristics that allow to identify the recorded particle as a gamma, and to specify its direction and energy.

Physics with CTA [+]

The main goal of CTA is to provide a deep insight into the "non-thermal high-energy universe", i.e. objects which emit radiation not because of their temperature, like stars, but because other mechanisms which allow the emission of radiation of much higher energy, as gamma rays are. Particularly, CTA will study galactic gamma-ray sources (supernova remnants, pulsars, star-formation regions, X-ray binaries, microquasars and the own galactic centre) and extragalactic gamma-ray sources (active galactic nuclei, extragalactic background light, gamma-ray burst and galaxy clusters). It is also expected that CTA makes important contribution to fundamental theories in physics through the indirect detection of dark matter.

ICCUB Contribution

The ICCUB researchers and engineers have been involved in CTA since the very beginning. The researchers have actively participated in the definition of the CTA scientific objectives through the Key Science Projects. The engineers have designed and produced several ASICs for the pre-amplification and amplification of the signals and for the level 0 trigger system of the Large and Medium Size telescopes of CTA. In addition the ICCUB has introduced and supported the DIRAC software framework in CTA, which has been essential for the use of GRID infrastructures in the data simulation process. Finally, the ICCUB group has also helped the spanish community to push for the candidacy of La Palma as the host site of CTA-North.