TenTen: A New Array of Multi-TeV Imaging Cherenkov Telescopes

TL;DR

TenTen is a proposed array of Cherenkov telescopes designed to explore the multi-TeV gamma-ray energy range, aiming to discover new astrophysical sources and study cosmic-ray origins with a large effective area.

Contribution

This paper introduces the TenTen array, a novel Cherenkov telescope system optimized for multi-TeV gamma-ray observations, with detailed performance parameters.

Findings

Effective area of ~10 km^2 above 10 TeV

Wide field of view of 8-10 degrees

Optimized for energies between 10 and 100 TeV

Abstract

The exciting results from H.E.S.S. point to a new population of gamma-ray sources at energies E > 10 TeV, paving the way for future studies and new discoveries in the multi-TeV energy range. Connected with these energies is the search for sources of PeV cosmic-rays (CRs) and the study of multi-TeV gamma-ray production in a growing number of astrophysical environments. TenTen is a proposed stereoscopic array (with a suggested site in Australia) of modest-sized (10 to 30m^2) Cherenkov imaging telescopes with a wide field of view (8 to 10deg diameter) optimised for the E~10 to 100 TeV range. TenTen will achieve an effective area of ~10 km^2 at energies above 10 TeV. We outline here the motivation for TenTen and summarise key performance parameters.