A Medium Sized Schwarzschild-Couder Cherenkov Telescope Mechanical Design Proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

2015/09/10 by K. Byrum, Byrum, K., T. B. Humensky +39
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM) #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1509.03074

openalex publication_date 2015/09/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is an international next-generation ground-based gamma-ray observatory. CTA will be implemented as southern and northern hemisphere arrays of tens of small, medium and large-sized imaging Cherenkov telescopes with the goal of improving the sensitivity over the current-generation experiments by an order of magnitude. CTA will provide energy coverage from ~20 GeV to more than 300 TeV. The Schwarzschild-Couder (SC) medium size (9.5m) telescopes will feature a novel aplanatic two-mirror optical design capable of accommodating a wide field-of-view with significantly improved angular resolution as compared to the traditional Davies-Cotton optical design. A full-scale prototype SC medium size telescope structure has been designed and will be constructed at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona during the fall of 2015. concentrate on the novel features of the design.

Related

• Construction of a medium-sized Schwarzschild-Couder telescope as a candidate for the Cherenkov Telescope Array: development of the optical alignment system
• Design and upgrade of the prototype Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope
• Status of the Davies-Cotton and Schwarzschild-Couder Medium-Sized Telescopes for the Cherenkov Telescope Array
• The Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope for the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory
• Prototype Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope for the Cherenkov Telescope Array: Commissioning Status of the Optical System