First detection of the Crab Nebula at TeV energies with a Cherenkov telescope in a dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder configuration: the ASTRI-Horn telescope

S. Lombardi; O. Catalano; S. Scuderi; L.A. Antonelli; G. Pareschi; E. Antolini; L. Arrabito; G. Bellassai; K. Bernlöhr; C. Bigongiari; B. Biondo; G. Bonanno; G. Bonnoli; G.M. Böttcher; J. Bregeon; P. Bruno; R. Canestrari; M. Capalbi; P. Caraveo; P. Conconi; V. Conforti; G. Contino; G. Cusumano; E.M. de Gouveia Dal Pino; A. Distefano; G. Farisato; C. Fermino; M. Fiorini; A. Frigo; S. Gallozzi; C. Gargano; S. Garozzo; F. Gianotti; S. Giarrusso; R. Gimenes; E. Giro; A. Grillo; D. Impiombato; S. Incorvaia; N. La Palombara; V. La Parola; G. La Rosa; G. Leto; F. Lucarelli; M.C. Maccarone; D. Marano; E. Martinetti; A. Miccichè; R. Millul; T. Mineo; G. Nicotra; G. Occhipinti; I. Pagano; M. Perri; G. Romeo; F. Russo; B. Sacco; P. Sangiorgi; F.G. Saturni; A. Segreto; G. Sironi; G. Sottile; A. Stamerra; L. Stringhetti; G. Tagliaferri; M. Tavani; V. Testa; M.C. Timpanaro; G. Toso; G. Tosti; M. Trifoglio; G. Umana; S. Vercellone; R. Zanmar Sanchez; C. Arcaro; A. Bulgarelli; M. Cardillo; E. Cascone; A. Costa; A. d'Aì; F. d'Ammando; M. del Santo; V. Fioretti; A. Lamastra; S. Mereghetti; F. Pintore; G. Rodeghiero; P. Romano; J. Schwarz; E. Sciacca; F.R. Vitello; A. Wolter

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201936791

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First detection of the Crab Nebula at TeV energies with a Cherenkov telescope in a dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder configuration: the ASTRI-Horn telescope

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First detection of the Crab Nebula at TeV energies with a Cherenkov telescope in a dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder configuration: the ASTRI-Horn telescope

S. Lombardi, O. Catalano, S. Scuderi, L.A. Antonelli, G. Pareschi, E. Antolini, L. Arrabito, G. Bellassai, K. Bernlöhr, C. Bigongiari, …

Astronomy & Astrophysics - A&A, Vol.634

2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201936791

Abstract

gamma rays: general

telescopes

technique: miscellaneous

methods: data analysis

supernovae: individual (Crab Nebula)

techniques: miscellaneous

supernovae: individual: Crab Nebula

detector: pixel

reflection: efficiency

gamma ray: emission

energy: threshold

photomultiplier: silicon

Cherenkov counter

VHE

Schwarzschild

Cherenkov Telescope Array

observatory

calibration

programming

statistical

electronics

Cherenkov

hardware

mirror

We report on the first detection of very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the Crab Nebula by a Cherenkov telescope in dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder (SC) configuration. This result has been achieved by means of the 4 m ASTRI-Horn telescope, operated on Mt. Etna, Italy, and developed in the context of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory preparatory phase. The dual-mirror SC design is aplanatic and characterized by a small plate scale, which allows us to implement large cameras with a large field of view, with small-size pixel sensors and a high level of compactness. The curved focal plane of the ASTRI camera is covered by silicon photo-multipliers, managed by an unconventional front-end electronic system that is based on a customized peak-sensing detector mode. The system includes internal and external calibration systems, hardware and software for control and acquisition, and the complete data archiving and processing chain. These observations of the Crab Nebula were carried out in December 2018 during the telescope verification phase for a total observation time (after data selection) of 24.4 h, equally divided between on- and off-axis source exposure. The camera system was still under commission and its functionality was not yet completely exploited. Furthermore, due to recent eruptions of the Etna Volcano, the mirror reflection efficiency was reduced. Nevertheless, the observations led to the detection of the source with a statistical significance of 5.4σ above an energy threshold of ∼3 TeV. This result provides an important step toward the use of dual-mirror systems in Cherenkov gamma-ray astronomy. A pathfinder mini-array based on nine ASTRI-like telescopes with a large field-of-view is in the course of implementation.Key words: gamma rays: general / telescopes / techniques: miscellaneous / methods: data analysis / supernovae: individual: Crab Nebula⋆ Corresponding authors: S. Lombardi (blacksaverio.lombardi@inaf.it), O. Catalano (osvaldo.catalano@inaf.it), and S. Scuderi (blacksalvatore.scuderi@inaf.it).

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Title: First detection of the Crab Nebula at TeV energies with a Cherenkov telescope in a dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder configuration: the ASTRI-Horn telescope
Creators - without role: S. Lombardi - Agenzia Spaziale Italiana
O. Catalano - National Institute for Astrophysics
S. Scuderi - National Institute for Astrophysics
L.A. Antonelli - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
G. Pareschi - Brera Astronomical Observatory
E. Antolini - CTA Observatory
L. Arrabito - Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
G. Bellassai - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
K. Bernlöhr - Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
C. Bigongiari - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
B. Biondo - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Bonanno - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
G. Bonnoli - Brera Astronomical Observatory
G.M. Böttcher - North-West University
J. Bregeon - Université Grenoble Alpes
P. Bruno - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
R. Canestrari - National Institute for Astrophysics
M. Capalbi - National Institute for Astrophysics
P. Caraveo - National Institute for Astrophysics
P. Conconi - Brera Astronomical Observatory
V. Conforti - Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio
G. Contino - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Cusumano - National Institute for Astrophysics
E.M. de Gouveia Dal Pino - Universidade de São Paulo
A. Distefano - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Farisato - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
C. Fermino - Universidade de São Paulo
M. Fiorini - National Institute for Astrophysics
A. Frigo - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
S. Gallozzi - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
C. Gargano - National Institute for Astrophysics
S. Garozzo - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
F. Gianotti - Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio
S. Giarrusso - National Institute for Astrophysics
R. Gimenes - Universidade de São Paulo
E. Giro - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
A. Grillo - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
D. Impiombato - National Institute for Astrophysics
S. Incorvaia - National Institute for Astrophysics
N. La Palombara - National Institute for Astrophysics
V. La Parola - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. La Rosa - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Leto - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
F. Lucarelli - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
M.C. Maccarone - National Institute for Astrophysics
D. Marano - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
E. Martinetti - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
A. Miccichè - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
R. Millul - Brera Astronomical Observatory
T. Mineo - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Nicotra - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Occhipinti - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
I. Pagano - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
M. Perri - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
G. Romeo - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
F. Russo - National Institute for Astrophysics
B. Sacco - National Institute for Astrophysics
P. Sangiorgi - National Institute for Astrophysics
F.G. Saturni - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
A. Segreto - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Sironi - Brera Astronomical Observatory
G. Sottile - National Institute for Astrophysics
A. Stamerra - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
L. Stringhetti - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Tagliaferri - Brera Astronomical Observatory
M. Tavani - National Institute for Astrophysics
V. Testa - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
M.C. Timpanaro - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
G. Toso - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Tosti - University of Perugia
M. Trifoglio - Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio
G. Umana - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
S. Vercellone - Brera Astronomical Observatory
R. Zanmar Sanchez
C. Arcaro - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
A. Bulgarelli - Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio
M. Cardillo - National Institute for Astrophysics
E. Cascone - Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte
A. Costa - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
A. d'Aì
F. d'Ammando
M. del Santo - National Institute for Astrophysics
V. Fioretti - Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio
A. Lamastra - Astronomical Observatory of Rome
S. Mereghetti - National Institute for Astrophysics
F. Pintore - National Institute for Astrophysics
G. Rodeghiero - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
P. Romano - Brera Astronomical Observatory
J. Schwarz - Brera Astronomical Observatory
E. Sciacca
F.R. Vitello - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
A. Wolter - Brera Astronomical Observatory
Publication Details: Astronomy & Astrophysics - A&A, Vol.634
Identifiers: 9947227909311
Academic Unit: Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier - LUPM
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article
Local Fields: hal-02381999