[Previous] | [Session 16] | [Next]

[16.37] Monte Carlo Simulations of a System of 2 Very Large Cherenkov Telescopes

S. B. Hughes, H. Krawczynski (Washington University in St. Louis), A. Falcone (Purdue University), I. Jung, J. Buckley (Washington University in St. Louis)

We discuss a possible extension of the VERITAS Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope experiment. The extension consists of 2 STAR (Small Telescope Array) telescopes, each with an effective light collection area equalling that of a 30m to 50m diameter telescope (Krawczynski, Falcone et al. 2003). The system of 2 large telescopes would achieve an energy threshold of between 20 GeV and 40 GeV and would allow us to study extragalactic GeV sources at redshifts between 1 and 2 with extremely high sensitivity on short time scales. Each large telescope consists of between 144 and 400 small, 2.5 m diameter telescopes. The small telescopes are equipped with fast pixelated cameras. After delaying and combining the signals from all the small telescopes that make up a large telescope, a telescope trigger is derived, and the signals are digitized. In this contribution, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the approach and present Monte Carlo studies of the performance of a telescope system that consists of 4 or 7 VERITAS telescopes and 2 large STAR telescopes.

[Previous] | [Session 16] | [Next]

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.