| Popis: |
To advance the state of the art in very-high-energy (VHE) γ-ray astrophysics, an international consortium of 1500 scientists from 31 countries (including Brazil) has converged on the concept of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) [1] . CTA will consist of two large arrays of imaging atmospheric-Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs), see Figure 1, using techniques to detect VHE γ-rays. These VHE γ-rays are observed via the Cherenkov light produced in particle cascades (showers) generated when they interact in the Earth’s atmosphere. A key step in CTA, aside from technological improvements with regard to current IACT observatories and an increase in telescope quantity, is the use of different-sized IACTs to cost-effectively specialize on different parts of the CTA energy regime (20 GeV – 300 TeV). CTA is envisioned as an open observatory (i.e. full community access to investor countries), and will provide full-sky coverage via locations in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. High-level CTA data will be available on a public archive after a proprietary period of typically one year. CTA will be the world’s largest and most-sensitive γ-ray observatory. The CTA Science scope is very broad, and will allow to achieve a knowledge of the non- thermal universe in the high energies never reached, with significant contributions to Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Astro-Particle Physics, in an intense synergy between these areas. CTA and its technological capabilities are expected to be unsurpassed in the gamma ray range for at least the next 30 years. CTA will investigate the physical conditions of cosmic particle accelerators (cosmic rays) such as black holes, pulsars, supernovae, and gamma ray bursts; the composition and origin of dark matter; the cosmic magnetic fields; and the violation of the constancy of the speed of light. |
