Hamburg 2016 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 80: Gammaastronomie IV

T 80.6: Talk

Wednesday, March 2, 2016, 18:05–18:20, VMP9 SR 27

First Data from IceAct, an Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescope with SiPMs at the South Pole — •Jan Auffenberg, Thomas Bretz, Bengt Hansmann, Tim Hansmann, Thomas Hebbeker, Julian Kemp, Lukas Middendorf, Tim Niggemann, Leif Rädel, Merlin Schaufel, Johannes Schumacher, Martin Stahlberg, Ansgar Werhan, and Christopher Wiebusch — RWTH Aachen University

IceCube-Gen2 is planned to extend the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the geographic South Pole. For neutrino astronomy, a large background-free sample of well-reconstructed astrophysical neutrinos is essential. The main background for this signal are muons and neutrinos which are produced in cosmic-ray air showers in the Earth's atmosphere. The coincident detection of these air showers by the surface detector IceTop has been proven to be a powerful veto for atmospheric neutrinos and muons in the field of view of the Southern Hemisphere. This motivates a large extension of IceTop to more efficiently detect cosmic rays, IceVeto. Part of these extension plans is an array of imaging air Cherenkov telescopes, IceAct. A first IceAct prototype is consisting of an SiPM camera and lens optics optimized for harsh environments. Compared to IceTop stations, these telescopes potentially lower the detection threshold for air showers at the cost of a lower duty cycle. We will present first data, taken during the commissioning of an IceAct prototype in December 2015 at the South Pole.