The SPHERE-2 detector for observation of extensive air showers in 1 PeV -- 1 EeV energy range
R.A. Antonov, E.A. Bonvech, D.V. Chernov, T.A. Dzhatdoev, M. Finger, Jr., M. Finger, D.A. Podgrudkov, T.M. Roganova, A.V. Shirokov, I.A. Vaiman
TL;DR
The paper describes the design, construction, and testing of the SPHERE-2 balloon-borne detector for observing extensive air showers via reflected Cherenkov light over Lake Baikal, covering technical details and initial test results.
Contribution
It introduces a novel balloon-borne detector utilizing reflected Cherenkov light for EAS observation, with detailed technical specifications and initial testing results.
Findings
Successful laboratory and field tests of the optical system
Effective detection of Cherenkov light reflected from snow surface
Feasibility of balloon-borne EAS observation at PeV-EeV energies
Abstract
The SPHERE-2 balloon-borne detector designed for extensive air shower (EAS) observations using EAS optical Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation (``Cherenkov light''), reflected from the snow-covered surface of Lake Baikal is described. We briefly discuss the concept behind the reflected Cherenkov light method, characterize the conditions at the experimental site and overview the construction of the tethered balloon used to lift the SPHERE-2 telescope above the surface. This paper is mainly dedicated to a detailed technical description of the detector, including its optical system, sensitive elements, electronics, and data acquisition system (DAQ). The results of some laboratory and field tests of the optical system are presented.
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