Status of the Medium-Sized Telescopes for the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory

TL;DR

This paper reviews the design, status, and plans for the Medium-Sized Telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array, highlighting their role in high-energy gamma-ray astronomy and upcoming deployment stages.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the MST design, current development status, and deployment plans for the CTAO, including technical specifications and performance expectations.

Findings

MST telescopes will operate in the 100 GeV to 5 TeV energy range.

The telescopes are in production and testing, aiming for installation in 2025.

The design includes two camera types, NectarCAM and FlashCam, for northern and southern sites.

Abstract

The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) is a next-generation ground-based gamma-ray observatory that will study the universe at very high energy using atmospheric Cherenkov light. CTAO will comprise over 67 telescopes of three different sizes, located in the northern and southern hemispheres. Among these, the Medium-Sized Telescope (MST) will play a crucial role in CTAO's observations, providing excellent sensitivity and angular resolution for gamma rays in the energy range of 100 GeV to 5 TeV. The MST is based on a modified single-mirror Davies-Cotton design, featuring a segmented mirror with a diameter of 12 meters, a total reflective surface of 88 square meters, and a focal length of 16 meters. It will cover an approximately 8-degree field of view and be equipped with two different cameras: NectarCAM and FlashCam, at the northern and southern CTAO sites, respectively. The MST's design is optimized for efficient observation of extended sources, including supernova remnants and pulsar wind nebulae, as well as the study of gamma-ray bursts and active galactic nuclei. Currently, the MST is in the midst of production and testing stages with the aim of being installed in 2025 for the CTAO Pathfinder project. In this project, one MST telescope will be deployed at each CTAO site to provide on-site experience with pre-production components. This approach facilitates cost and risk reduction before starting serial production. This contribution provides an overview of the current status and plans of the MST's construction at both the northern and southern CTAO sites, as well as details on the telescope and camera designs and their expected performance.