The NectarCAM Timing System

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the timing performance of NectarCAM, a Cherenkov camera for CTA telescopes, demonstrating it meets the required precision for effective gamma-ray detection and stereoscopic observations.

Contribution

It presents the timing performance verification of NectarCAM, showing it achieves the precision and accuracy needed for CTA operations.

Findings

Timing precision meets CTAO requirements

Trigger timing accuracy verified with laser sources

System performance supports gamma-ray and stereoscopic detection

Abstract

NectarCAM is a Cherenkov camera which is going to equip the Medium-Sized Telescopes (MST) of the northern site of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). NectarCAM is equipped with 265 modules, each consisting of 7 photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs), a Front-End Board and a local camera trigger system used for data acquisition. This paper addresses the timing performance of NectarCAM which are crucial to reduce the noise in shower images and improve image cleaning as well as to discriminate between gamma-ray photons and cosmic-ray background and finally to allow coincidence identification with neighbouring telescopes for stereoscopic operations. Verification tests of the system have been performed in a dark room using various light sources to illuminate the first NectarCAM unit. The resulting timing precision and accuracy of the trigger arrival relative to a laser source, of individual and multiple pixel signals have been studied and are shown to comply to CTAO requirements.