arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to T. Armstrong.
List of contributions from the Cherenkov Telescope Array Consortium presented at the 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference, July 12-20 2017, Busan, Korea.
We perform simulations for future Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observations of RX~J1713.7$-$3946, a young supernova remnant (SNR) and one of the brightest sources ever discovered in very-high-energy (VHE) gamma rays. Special attention is paid to explore possible spatial (anti-)correlations of gamma rays with emission at other wavelengths, in particular X-rays and CO/H{\sc i} emission. We present a series of simulated images of RX J1713.7$-$3946 for CTA based on a set of observationally motivated models for the gamma-ray emission. In these models, VHE gamma rays produced by high-energy electrons are assumed to trace the non-thermal X-ray emission observed by {\it XMM-Newton}, whereas those originating from relativistic protons delineate the local gas distributions. The local atomic and molecular gas distributions are deduced by the NANTEN team from CO and H{\sc i} observations. Our primary goal is to show how one can distinguish the emission mechanism(s) of the gamma rays (i.e., hadronic vs leptonic, or a mixture of the two) through information provided by their spatial distribution, spectra, and time variation. This work is the first attempt to quantitatively evaluate the capabilities of CTA to achieve various proposed scientific goals by observing this important cosmic particle accelerator.
List of contributions from the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) Consortium presented at the 6th International Symposium on High-Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy (Gamma 2016), July 11-15, 2016, in Heidelberg, Germany.
List of contributions from the CTA Consortium presented at the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference, 30 July - 6 August 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands.
The Gamma Cherenkov Telescope (GCT) is proposed to be part of the Small Size Telescope (SST) array of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). The GCT dual-mirror optical design allows the use of a compact camera of diameter roughly 0.4 m. The curved focal plane is equipped with 2048 pixels of ~0.2° angular size, resulting in a field of view of ~9°. The GCT camera is designed to record the flashes of Cherenkov light from electromagnetic cascades, which last only a few tens of nanoseconds. Modules based on custom ASICs provide the required fast electronics, facilitating sampling and digitisation as well as first level of triggering. The first GCT camera prototype is currently being commissioned in the UK. On-telescope tests are planned later this year. Here we give a detailed description of the camera prototype and present recent progress with testing and commissioning.
The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next generation very high-energy gamma-ray observatory, with at least 10 times higher sensitivity than current instruments. CTA will comprise several tens of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) operated in array-mode and divided into three size classes: large, medium and small telescopes. The total reflective surface could be up to 10,000 m2 requiring unprecedented technological efforts. The properties of the reflector directly influence the telescope performance and thus constitute a fundamental ingredient to improve and maintain the sensitivity. The R&D status of lightweight, reliable and cost-effective mirror facets for the CTA telescope reflectors for the different classes of telescopes is reviewed in this paper.
Compilation of CTA contributions to the proceedings of the 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2013), which took place in 2-9 July, 2013, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a planned observatory for very-high energy gamma-ray astronomy. It will consist of several tens of telescopes of different sizes, with a total mirror area of up to 10,000 square meters. Most mirrors of current installations are either polished glass mirrors or diamond-turned aluminium mirrors, both labour intensive technologies. For CTA, several new technologies for a fast and cost-efficient production of light-weight and reliable mirror substrates have been developed and industrial pre-production has started for most of them. In addition, new or improved aluminium-based and dielectric surface coatings have been developed to increase the reflectance over the lifetime of the mirrors compared to those of current Cherenkov telescope instruments.
The question "How did we get here and what will the future bring?" captures the human imagination and the attention of the National Academy of Science's Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Commitee (AASC). Fulfillment of this "fundamental goal" requires astronomers to have sensitive, high angular and spectral resolution observations in the far-infrared/submillimeter (far-IR/sub-mm) spectral region. With half the luminosity of the universe and vital information about galaxy, star and planet formation, observations in this spectral region require capabilities similar to those currently available or planned at shorter wavelengths. In this paper we summarize the scientific motivation, some mission concepts and technology requirements for far-IR/sub-mm space interferometers that can be developed in the 2010-2020 timeframe.
A search for antiproton decay has been made at the Fermilab Antiproton Accumulator. Limits are placed on six antiproton decay modes which contain a final-state muon. At the 90% C.L. we find that tau/B(mu gamma) > 5.0 x 10^4 yr, tau/B(mu pi0) > 4.8 x 10^4 yr, tau/B(mu eta) > 7.9 x 10^3 yr, tau/B(mu gamma gamma) > 2.3 x 10^4 yr, tau/B(mu K0S > 4.3 x 10^3 yr, and tau/B(mu K0L) > 6.5 x 10^3 yr.