Comparison of Different Trigger and Readout Approaches for Cameras in the Cherenkov Telescope Array Project

TL;DR

This paper compares various trigger and readout approaches for Cherenkov Telescope Array cameras through Monte Carlo simulations, assessing their impact on performance metrics like energy threshold and flux sensitivity.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive end-to-end Monte Carlo comparison of different trigger schemes and readout system properties for CTA cameras, which is novel in optimizing telescope performance.

Findings

Majority trigger scheme improves sensitivity over analog triggers.

Readout window length significantly affects energy threshold.

Flexible pattern analysis enhances detection capabilities.

Abstract

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a next-generation ground-based observatory for g -rays with energies between some ten GeV and a few hundred TeV. CTA is currently in the advanced design phase and will consist of arrays with different size of prime-focus Cherenkov telescopes, to ensure a proper energy coverage from the threshold up to the highest energies. The extension of the CTA array with double-mirror Schwarzschild- Couder telescopes is planned to improve the array angular resolution over wider field of view.We present an end-to-end Monte-Carlo comparison of trigger concepts for the different imaging cameras that will be used on the Cherenkov telescopes. The comparison comprises three alternative trigger schemes (analog, majority, flexible pattern analysis) for each camera design. The study also addresses the influence of the properties of the readout system (analog bandwidth of the electronics, length of the readout window in time) and uses an offline shower reconstruction to investigate the impact on key performances such as energy threshold and flux sensitivity