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Optical characteristics of the whipple observatory TeV gamma-ray imaging telescope

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Abstract

In TeV γ-ray astronomy, large mirrors are used to collect Čerenkov light from electromagnetic cascades in the atmosphere in order to obtain low energy thresholds. The flux sensitivity of TeV γ-ray detectors is limited by background due to Čerenkov light bursts from isotropic, cosmic-ray showers which are much more numerous than γ-ray showers. It has recently been established that most of this background can be eliminated on the basis of the shapes of Čerenkov light images on the focal plane of a telescope. In order for this technique to work, the light collector must have adequate resolution over a relatively wide field of view. In this paper, the optical characteristics of the 10 m reflector used in the imaging detection of the Crab Nebula are examined and contrasted with those of a standard parabolic design. This 10 m reflector has a unique (Davies-Cotton) design with small spherical facet mirrors placed on spherical support structure with radius equal to exactly 1/2 the curvature radius of the facet mirrors. The off-axis focusing properties of this type of telescope have not been examined previously.

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  1. Physics Department, Iowa State University, 50011, Ames, Iowa, USA

    D. A. Lewis

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  1. D. A. Lewis
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Lewis, D.A. Optical characteristics of the whipple observatory TeV gamma-ray imaging telescope. Exp Astron 1, 213–226 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428516

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428516

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