E. E. Kholupenko
Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute
Based on papers and reports
by G.I. Vasilyev, E.E. Kholupenko, D.A. Baiko,
A.M. Krassilchtchikov, S.N. Yablokov, A.A. Kozhberov,
A.M. Bykov,
and G.G. Pavlov
2011 – 2013
A brief review of history, modern status and perspectives of development of ground-based Cherenkov gamma-telescopes is presented in the report. Some features of observation of cosmic gamma-quanta of energies less than 10 GeV with these instruments are described.
1) It is shown that the Cherenkov photon surface density (CPSD) has no finite mean-square deviation in the central region (r < 50 m) of core of an extensive atmospheric shower (EAS) induced by a gamma-quantum of energy of about 5 GeV. In the "wings" of EAS (r = 100 – 300 m) the mean-square deviation is 50 – 100% of mean value of CPSD. This leads to significant degradation of energy resolution of ground-based Cherenkov telescopes at energies of about 5 GeV (for example in comparison with energy resolution at energies of about 100 GeV). In some cases the correct determination of energy of primary particle becomes impossible.
2) The influence of night sky background (NSB) on the possibility of registration of cosmic gamma-quanta of energies 1 – 10 GeV with a ground-based Cherenkov gamma-observatory is considered. It is shown that this influence becomes significant in the indicated range (probability of registration of gamma-quantum of energy of 3 GeV is about 0.5). Nevertheless, this influence does not present an insuperable natural obstacle for an effective registration of cosmic gamma-quanta in the indicated range.
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