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The application of two-dimensional imaging to very high energy gamma ray astronomy

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6189569
A technique has been developed to distinguish air showers generated by gamma rays from those generated by hadronic cosmic rays. The method involves the registration of the Cherenkov light images by a large aperture multi-phototube telescope at the Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona. The energy threshold is 0.4 TeV. The efficacy of the technique has been demonstrated by the detection of a signal from the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant. The physics of shower development at TeV energies is demonstrated to be what is expected, and no support is found for the detection of anomalous signals from binary sources. The sensitivity of the technique is such that a five sigma gamma-ray signal from the Crab can be detected in just an hour of observation. Further improvements in the technique are under way; in particular, a second large aperture camera is now operated in conjunction with the original camera to give stereoscopic images of showers. When completed, this system will give a flux sensitivity a factor of ten below that now available.
Research Organization:
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-82ER40063
OSTI ID:
6189569
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/40063-T2; ON: DE93016789
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

440101* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
BOSONS
CHERENKOV COUNTERS
COSMIC PHOTONS
COSMIC RADIATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMIC RAY DETECTION
CRAB NEBULA
DETECTION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NEBULAE
PHOTONS
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATIONS
SENSITIVITY
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
TELESCOPE COUNTERS
TEV RANGE