Cherenkov Telescope Array

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA ) is a project launched in 2010 an international consortium for ground-based gamma-ray astronomy. In this case, conclusions are drawn on astronomical gamma-ray sources such as galaxies and supernovae by the observation of Cherenkov flashes in the Earth's atmosphere. The project is located in 2012 in the planning or Protoypenphase.

The objective is the construction of two expandable grid of tens of Cherenkov telescopes ( IACTs german, Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes ). Standardized models with 6, 12, and 24 meters in diameter reflector are designed for individual telescopes that are currently in development or testing. The first grid - in the northern hemisphere - is mainly the observation of extragalactic objects are used less energy, while the second grid - should cover the entire energy range and focus on sources in the Milky Way - in the southern hemisphere.

With a measuring range of a few tens of GeV up to 100 TeV, CTA is expected to exceed the sensitivity of the current generation of Cherenkov telescopes such as MAGIC, HESS and VERITAS an order of magnitude. The scientific applications of CTA range from high-energy astrophysics through basic physics to cosmology.

CTA is designed and built, with a strong involvement of European institutions such as the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures ESFRI, the European Astroparticle Physics - ASPERA network and the European Astrophysics Network ASTRONET international collaboration of scientists. The administrative project office is located at the Heidelberg State Observatory king chair. During the preparation phase of CTA, it is a key goal of the project closer to students, students and the general public. To this end, various materials have been published.

After completion of the prototype phase to about 2014 started to build up, its completion is targeted for 2020.