Using muon rings for the optical throughput calibration of the SST-1M prototype for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

TL;DR

This paper explores using muon ring images captured by the SST-1M telescope prototype to calibrate its optical throughput, enhancing the accuracy of gamma-ray observations in the Cherenkov Telescope Array.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for optical calibration of IACTs using muon ring images, specific to the SST-1M prototype for CTA.

Findings

Muons produce characteristic ring images useful for calibration

Preliminary results show promising calibration accuracy

Method can improve optical throughput measurements

Abstract

Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) are ground-based instruments devoted to the study of very high energy gamma-rays coming from space. The detection technique consists of observing images created by the Cherenkov light emitted when gamma rays, or more generally cosmic rays, propagate through the atmosphere. While in the case of protons or gamma-rays the images present a filled and more or less elongated shape, energetic muons penetrating the atmosphere are visualised as characteristic circular rings or arcs. A relatively simple analysis of the ring images allows the reconstruction of all the relevant parameters of the detected muons, such as the energy, the impact parameter, and the incoming direction, with the final aim to use them to calibrate the total optical throughput of the given IACT telescope. We present the results of preliminary studies on the use of images created by muons as optical throughput calibrators of the single mirror small size telescope prototype SST-1M proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array.