Sensitivity Studies for Gamma-Ray and Neutrino Telescopes

Abstract

The progress made in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy over the last two decades has lead to the detection of more than 200 VHE ($E \ge 200$ GeV) sources reported by the H.E.S.S. [83], MAGIC [50], VERITAS [139] and HAWC [17] Collaborations. Recently, success has been reported also in neutrino astronomy by the detection of a diffuse flux of multi-TeV neutrinos of ‘extra-terrestrial origin’  by the IceCube Collaboration [2]. In the feasible future, the upgraded IceCube and the under construction KM3NeT neutrino telescopes will serve as the major tools of VHE neutrinos. Apparently, the identification of objects contributing to the reported diffuse neutrino flux, as well as the discovery of discrete sources of VHE neutrinos is the major objective of neutrino astronomy for the coming years.

Part of this chapter has already been published in Ambrogi L., Celli S. & Aharonian F., ‘On the potentials of the Cherenkov Telescope Arrays and KM3 Neutrino Telescopes for the detection of extended sources’, Astroparticle Physics Journal, Vol. 100, Issue 69A, p. 69–79, and it is here reprinted with permission from Elsevier.