Results and status of the EUSO-TA detector

TL;DR

EUSO-TA is a ground-based ultraviolet telescope at Telescope Array in Utah, designed to observe ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, with recent results from 2015-2016 campaigns and updates to its detector system.

Contribution

This paper reports the observational results and status of the EUSO-TA detector, including its recent upgrades and detection of cosmic rays, meteors, and laser shots.

Findings

Detection of cosmic rays, meteors, and laser shots during 2015-2016 campaigns

Details of the detector setup and recent upgrades to phase II

Successful observation of ultra-high-energy cosmic ray events

Abstract

EUSO-TA is a ground-based telescope, located at the Black Rock Mesa site of Telescope Array (TA), Utah, USA. The main aim of the instrument is observation of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays through detection of ultraviolet light generated by cosmic-ray showers. EUSO-TA consists of two, 1 m2 Fresnel lenses with a field of view of about 11x11 deg. Light is focused on the Photo Detector Module composed of 36 Hamamatsu multi-anode photomultipliers, for a total of 2304 channels. During operations, the telescope is housed in a shed located in front of the TA Fluorescence Detector. We present the results from EUSO-TA observational campaigns performed in years 2015 and 2016, including detected cosmic rays, meteors and laser shots. Also shown are the details of current instrument setup and upgrade of the detector to phase II.