TAIGA observatory: IACT fabrication and tests

Sagan, Yaroslav; Astapov, I.; Bezyazeekov, P.; Borodin, A.; Brueckner, M.; Budnev, N.; Chiavassa, A.; Dyachok, A.; Fedorov, O.; Gafarov, A.; Garmash, A.; Grebenyuk, V.; Gress, O.; Gress, T.; Grinyuk, A.; Grishin, O.; Horns, D.; Ivanova, A.; Kalmykov, N.; Kazarina, Y.; Kindin, V.; Kirilenko, P.; Kiryuhin, S.; Kokoulin, R.; Kompaniets, K.; Korosteleva, E.; Kozhin, V.; Kravchenko, E.; Kunnas, M.; Kuzmichev, L.; Lemeshev, Yu.; Lenok, V.; Lubsandorzhiev, N.; Lubsandorzhiev, B.; Mirgazov, R.; Mirzoyan, R.; Monkhoev, R.; Nachtigall, R.; Osipova, E.; Pakhorukov, A.; Pan, A.; Panasyuk, M. I.; Pankov, L.; Petrukhin, A.; Poleschuk, V.; Popescu, E.; Popova, E.; Porelli, A.; Postnikov, E.; Prosin, V.; Ptuskin, V.; Pushnin, A.; Rjabov, E.; Rubtsov, G.; Sabirov, B.; Samoliga, V.; Sidorenkov, A.; Silaev, A.; Silaev(junior), A.; Slunecka, V.; Skurikhin, A.; Sokolov, A.; Suvorkin, Y.; Sveshnikova, L.; Tabolenko, V.; Tanaev, A.; Tarashansky, B.; Tkachev, L.; Tluczykont, M.; Wishnevski, R.; Yashin, I.; Zagorodnikov, A.; Zhurov, D.

Abstract

Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) are one of the key parts of the TAIGA observatory, which is designed to study gamma rays and charged cosmic rays in the energy range of 10^13 eV – 10^18 eV. The current prototype phase comprises three IACTs. The first IACT was fabricated at JINR, Dubna, and started its first commissioning season in the Tunka valley in 2017. The second one has been assembled there in fall 2018, the third structure one is ready for installation in autumn 2019.
This report presents the main TAIGA IACT characteristics and results from pointing performance studies in the last 2 seasons. We also describe R&D activities started to fabricate focusing glass mirrors at JINR, and give results for the first prototypes measurements.