Approximately one hundred sources of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma rays are known in the Milky Way. A survey of the entire Galactic Plane in the energy range from a few tens of GeV to a few hundred TeV has been proposed as a Key Science Project for the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). This article presents the status of the studies towards the Galactic Plane Survey (GPS). We build and make publicly available a sky model that combines data from observations of known gamma-ray emitters with state-of-the-art physically-driven models of synthetic populations of the main classes of established Galactic VHE sources, as well as of interstellar emission from cosmic-ray interactions in the Milky Way. We also perform an optimisation of the observation strategy. We use the improved sky model and observation strategy to simulate GPS data that are analysed using the methods and software tools under development for real data. We show that the GPS has the potential to increase the number of known Galactic VHE emitters by almost a factor of five. This corresponds to the detection of more than two hundred pulsar wind nebulae and a few tens of supernova remnants at average integral fluxes one order of magnitude lower than in the existing sample above 1 TeV, therefore opening the possibility to perform unprecedented population studies. The GPS also has the potential to provide new VHE detections of binary systems and pulsars, and to detect bright PeVatrons. Furthermore, the GPS will constitute a pathfinder for deeper follow-up observations of these source classes. Finally, we show that we can extract from GPS data an estimate of the contribution to diffuse emission from unresolved sources, and that there are good prospects of detecting interstellar emission and statistically distinguishing different scenarios. (Abridged)

Galaxy clusters are expected to be dark matter (DM) reservoirs and storage rooms for the cosmic-ray protons (CRp) that accumulate along the cluster's formation history. Accordingly, they are excellent targets to search for signals of DM annihilation and decay at gamma-ray energies and are predicted to be sources of large-scale gamma-ray emission due to hadronic interactions in the intracluster medium. We estimate the sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) to detect diffuse gamma-ray emission from the Perseus galaxy cluster. We perform a detailed spatial and spectral modelling of the expected signal for the DM and the CRp components. For each, we compute the expected CTA sensitivity. The observing strategy of Perseus is also discussed. In the absence of a diffuse signal (non-detection), CTA should constrain the CRp to thermal energy ratio within the radius $R_{500}$ down to about $X_{500}<3\times 10^{-3}$, for a spatial CRp distribution that follows the thermal gas and a CRp spectral index $\alpha_{\rm CRp}=2.3$. Under the optimistic assumption of a pure hadronic origin of the Perseus radio mini-halo and depending on the assumed magnetic field profile, CTA should measure $\alpha_{\rm CRp}$ down to about $\Delta\alpha_{\rm CRp}\simeq 0.1$ and the CRp spatial distribution with 10% precision. Regarding DM, CTA should improve the current ground-based gamma-ray DM limits from clusters observations on the velocity-averaged annihilation cross-section by a factor of up to $\sim 5$, depending on the modelling of DM halo substructure. In the case of decay of DM particles, CTA will explore a new region of the parameter space, reaching models with $\tau_{\chi}>10^{27}$s for DM masses above 1 TeV. These constraints will provide unprecedented sensitivity to the physics of both CRp acceleration and transport at cluster scale and to TeV DM particle models, especially in the decay scenario.

Many models of dark matter (DM) are now widely considered and probed intensively with accelerators, underground detectors, and astrophysical experiments. Among the various approaches, high-energy astrophysical observations are extremely useful to complement laboratory searches for some DM candidates. In the near future, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) should enable us to access much heavier weakly interacting massive particles, as well as a broad range of other DM candidates. In this talk, we describe DM searches with CTA.

Context. To date, three pulsars have been firmly detected by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). Two of them reached the TeV energy range, challenging models of very high-energy (VHE) emission in pulsars. More precise observations are needed to better characterize pulsar emission at these energies. The LST-1 is the prototype of the large-sized telescopes, which will be part of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). Its improved performance over previous IACTs makes it well suited for studying pulsars. Aims. In this work we study the Crab pulsar emission with the LST-1, improving upon and complementing the results from other telescopes. Crab pulsar observations can also be used to characterize the potential of the LST-1 to study other pulsars and detect new ones. Methods. We analyzed a total of similar to 103 hours of gamma-ray observations of the Crab pulsar conducted with the LST-1 in the period from September 2020 to January 2023. The observations were carried out at zenith angles of less than 50 degrees. To characterize the Crab pulsar emission over a broader energy range, a new analysis of the Fermi/LAT data, including similar to 14 years of observations, was also performed. Results. The Crab pulsar phaseogram, long-term light curve, and phase-resolved spectra are reconstructed with the LST-1 from 20 GeV to 450 GeV for the first peak and up to 700 GeV for the second peak The pulsed emission is detected with a significance level of 15.2 sigma. The two characteristic emission peaks of the Crab pulsar are clearly detected (> 10 sigma), as is the so-called bridge emission between them (5.7 sigma). We find that both peaks are described well by power laws, with spectral indices of similar to 3.44 and similar to 3.03, respectively. The joint analysis of Fermi/LAT and LST-1 data shows a good agreement between the two instruments in their overlapping energy range. The detailed results obtained from the first observations of the Crab pulsar with the LST-1 show the potential that CTAO will have to study this type of source.

Context. Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) are used to observe very high-energy photons from the ground. Gamma rays are indirectly detected through the Cherenkov light emitted by the air showers they induce. The new generation of experiments, in particular the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), sets ambitious goals for discoveries of new gamma-ray sources and precise measurements of the already discovered ones. To achieve these goals, both hardware and data analysis must employ cuttingedge techniques. This also applies to the LST-1, the first IACT built for the CTAO, which is currently taking data on the Canary island of La Palma. Aims. This paper introduces a new event reconstruction technique for IACT data, aiming to improve the image reconstruction quality and the discrimination between the signal and the background from misidentified hadrons and electrons. Methods. The technique models the development of the extensive air shower signal, recorded as a waveform per pixel, seen by CTAO telescopes’ cameras. Model parameters are subsequently passed to random forest regressors and classifiers to extract information on the primary particle. Results. The new reconstruction was applied to simulated data and to data from observations of the Crab Nebula performed by the LST-1. The event reconstruction method presented here shows promising performance improvements. The angular and energy resolution, and the sensitivity, are improved by 10 to 20% over most of the energy range. At low energy, improvements reach up to 22%, 47%, and 50%, respectively. A future extension of the method to stereoscopic analysis for telescope arrays will be the next important step.

The prototype Large-Sized Telescope (LST-1) of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) was inaugurated on La Palma, Canary Islands, in 2018. Since then, the telescope is in the commissioning phase and takes regular gamma-ray data on astrophysical sources while waiting for other CTA telescopes in La Palma to be constructed. Here we present the status of the commissioning, lessons learned, the telescope performance, and scientific highlights achieved in the last couple of years. The science results include the detection of active galactic nuclei flares, studies of pulsar wind nebulae and pulsars, the detection of a Nova, and searches for gamma-ray emission from gamma-ray bursts. We also present the status of the construction of the three further LST telescopes (LST-2-4) in La Palma and plans for their commissioning.

The Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT) is a Medium-Sized Telescope proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). The first prototype (named pSCT) has been constructed and is being commissioned at the Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO) in Arizona, USA. The SCT is characterized by a dual-mirror optical design in order to remove the comatic aberrations across its field of view. The pSCT camera is now partially equipped with Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) matrices produced by Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) and is now in the upgrade phase. A new design of the front-end electronics (FEE) based on the TARGET ASICs will be installed to obtain an improvement especially in the noise performance. The new FEE design will also include a 16-channel integrated pre-amplifier, called SMART, developed and tested by INFN to amplify the signal produced by the FBK SiPMs providing a gain of 2 mV/p.e. and a 10 ns pulse width. The results of the performance of the SMART ASIC coupled to the FBK SiPMs and to the new FEE modules will be shown in terms of gain and noise.

The next generation facility for gamma-ray ground-based observations is the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory, which comprises three types of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). The Large-Sized Telescopes (LSTs) of CTA are the largest telescope type with a mirror dish of 23 m diameter. They cover the low energy end of the accessible gamma-ray energies for IACTs, starting from about 20 GeV up to a few TeV. The first LST prototype, known as LST-1, was officially inaugurated at the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos in La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain) in 2018 and has since performed calibration observations of various known gamma-ray sources. Additionally, the site houses the MAGIC telescopes, two 17 m IACTs situated approximately 100 m away from LST-1, which have been performing stereo observations since 2009. Currently, joint observations between LST-1 and MAGIC are being carried on, and the data taken independently by the two IACT systems is analyzed by combining events via software. However, this method increases the energy threshold, as it discards all but the relatively high-energy events triggered by all three telescopes. To address this issue, we have developed a novel hardware stereo trigger system between LST-1 and MAGIC, which is capable of handling events triggered by any-two out of the three telescopes. In this contribution, we will report on the performance estimation of joint LST-1 and MAGIC observations using the hardware trigger

The local Cosmic Ray (CR) energy spectrum exhibits a spectral softening at energies around 3 PeV. Sources which are capable of accelerating hadrons to such energies are called hadronic PeVatrons. However, hadronic PeVatrons have not yet been firmly identified within the Galaxy. Several source classes, including Galactic Supernova Remnants (SNRs), have been proposed as PeVatron candidates. The potential to search for hadronic PeVatrons with the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is assessed. The focus is on the usage of very high energy γ-ray spectral signatures for the identification of PeVatrons. Assuming that SNRs can accelerate CRs up to knee energies, the number of Galactic SNRs which can be identified as PeVatrons with CTA is estimated within a model for the evolution of SNRs. Additionally, the potential of a follow-up observation strategy under moonlight conditions for PeVatron searches is investigated. Statistical methods for the identification of PeVatrons are introduced, and realistic Monte-Carlo simulations of the response of the CTA observatory to the emission spectra from hadronic PeVatrons are performed. Based on simulations of a simplified model for the evolution for SNRs, the detection of a γ-ray signal from in average 9 Galactic PeVatron SNRs is expected to result from the scan of the Galactic plane with CTA after 10 h of exposure. CTA is also shown to have excellent potential to confirm these sources as PeVatrons in deep observations with O(100) hours of exposure per source.

A deep survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud at ~0.1-100TeV photon energies with the Cherenkov Telescope Array is planned. We assess the detection prospects based on a model for the emission of the galaxy, comprising the four known TeV emitters, mock populations of sources, and interstellar emission on galactic scales. We also assess the detectability of 30 Doradus and SN 1987A, and the constraints that can be derived on the nature of dark matter. The survey will allow for fine spectral studies of N157B, N132D, LMC P3, and 30 Doradus C, and half a dozen other sources should be revealed, mainly pulsar-powered objects. The remnant from SN 1987A could be detected if it produces cosmic-ray nuclei with a flat power-law spectrum at high energies, or with a steeper index 2.3-2.4 pending a flux increase by a factor >3-4 over ~2015-2035. Large-scale interstellar emission remains mostly out of reach of the survey if its >10GeV spectrum has a soft photon index ~2.7, but degree-scale 0.1-10TeV pion-decay emission could be detected if the cosmic-ray spectrum hardens above >100GeV. The 30 Doradus star-forming region is detectable if acceleration efficiency is on the order of 1-10% of the mechanical luminosity and diffusion is suppressed by two orders of magnitude within <100pc. Finally, the survey could probe the canonical velocity-averaged cross section for self-annihilation of weakly interacting massive particles for cuspy Navarro-Frenk-White profiles.

We present a novel approach to the determination of the pointing of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) using the trajectories of the stars in their camera’s field of view. The method starts with the reconstruction of the star positions from the Cherenkov camera data, taking into account the point spread function of the telescope, to achieve a satisfying reconstruction accuracy of the pointing position. A simultaneous fit of all reconstructed star trajectories is then performed with the orthogonal distance regression (ODR) method. ODR allows us to correctly include the star position uncertainties and use the time as an independent variable. Having the time as an independent variable in the fit makes it better suitable for various star trajectories. This method can be applied to any IACT and requires neither specific hardware nor interface or special data-taking mode. In this paper, we use the Large-Sized Telescope (LST) data to validate it as a useful tool to improve the determination of the pointing direction during regular data taking. The simulation studies show that the accuracy and precision of the method are comparable with the design requirements on the pointing accuracy of the LST (≤14″). With the typical LST event acquisition rate of 10 kHz, the method can achieve up to 50 Hz pointing monitoring rate, compared to 𝒪(1) Hz achievable with standard techniques. The application of the method to the LST prototype (LST-1) commissioning data shows the stable pointing performance of the telescope.

We present the characterization of the new Frontend Electronics (FEE) developed for the Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT) camera of the CTA experiment. The new FEE is based on a new Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) intended to read-out arrays of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) for low-level light detection down to the single photoelectron, called SMART (SiPM Multichannel ASIC for high Resolution Cherenkov Telescopes). The analog channel is composed of a high speed path with programmable gain and pole-zero filter designed for photon-counting. An external fast digitizer can be used for the photon-counting analysis. A slow path allows the measurement of the mean SiPM current, sampled by an internal 10-bit ADC. We present the characterization results obtained when coupling the SMART to a 16 SiPM matrix produced by Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK). Results in terms of charge spectrum, signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range will be presented. The SMART ASIC was then coupled to the SCT readout electronics based on the TARGET ASICs, able to digitize waveforms at a frequency of 1GS/s and to generate trigger signals. In this work, we further present the preliminary characterization obtained on the full FEE chain.

Future satellite experiments for cosmic-ray and gamma-ray detection will employ plastic scintillators to discriminate gamma-rays from charged particles and to identify nuclei up to Iron. The High Energy Cosmic Radiation Detector (HERD) facility will be one of those new experiments and it will be installed onboard the Chinese Tiangong Space Station (TSS). The main goal of the HERD experiment is to detect charged cosmic-rays up to PeVand gamma-rays up to hundred GeVs. The plastic scintillator detector (PSD) surrounds the inner detectors on five sides. For energies above a few GeVs a high detector segmentation is required in order to avoid the back-splash effect, due to the interaction between high energy particles and the innermost calorimeter. Each PSD basic element (bar or tile) is coupled to several Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) for the detection of scintillation light. In 2021 we have performed a beam test campaign to test all the subdetectors of the HERD experiment at CERN PS and SPS. We tested two different PSD prototypes, one with a long bar geometry and the other with a squared tile geometry. In both prototypes two scintillating materials (BC-404 and BC-408) were used. Both the prototypes were equipped with SiPMs of two different sizes (MPPC S14160-3050 and S14160-1315) and they were read-out by the CAEN Citiroc-based board DT5550 W. In this work we will describe the PSD design along with the beam test results.

Gamma-ray spectroscopy and gamma-ray imaging are two complementary techniques used for the localization and the identification of radioactive sources containing gamma-ray emitting radioisotopes. The radioactivity monitoring is focused on the detection of both artificial and environmental radioactive sources like Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). This kind of contamination becomes dangerous when the detection of the unwanted substances exhibits a concentration significantly above the environmental radioactive background radiation levels. For this purpose, we have developed, tested and shown a High Efficiency fast-Response GAmma (HERGA) detector useful for the identification of radionuclides and for gamma-ray imaging. A first version of the gamma detector prototype was composed of 16 CsI(Tl) scintillating crystals of 3x3x10 cm3 size, arranged in 4x4 matrix coupled with standard Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). An image reconstruction of a radioactive gamma emitter source is possible using the coded mask technique, in which a 7x7 mask, made of Plastic and Tungsten tiles, is placed in front of the detector and a pattern recognition algorithm based on classical statistical methods (Kolmogorov Smirnov) is used to reconstruct the source position. The measurements carried out showed a point spread function (PSF) of a few mrad for pointlike sources. The Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) was also determined in the case of pointlike radioactive sources. In this contribution we will present an update of the HERGA detector prototype in which Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) are used in place of the PMTs. SiPMs provide similar or even better performance compared to the standard PMT sand provide benefits in terms of lower power consumption and reduced cost and compactness. The advantages of the SiPM technology are also characterized by the robustness of the photosensor that makes the new prototype compact, portable, ideal for in-situ and real-time. We will show a comparison between the results obtained with the newest SiPM read-out technology with respect to those obtained with the PMT one, in terms of energy and spatial resolution. The imaging performance is also in phase of testing in order to localize extended radioactive sources such as for example NORM samples or to detect inaccessible or hidden nuclear waste.

Aims. LST-1, the prototype of the Large-Sized Telescope for the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory, is concluding its commissioning in Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma. The proximity of LST-1 (Large-Sized Telescope 1) to the two MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov) telescopes permits observations of the same gamma-ray events with both systems. Methods. We describe the joint LST-1+MAGIC analysis pipeline and use simultaneous Crab Nebula observations and Monte Carlo simulations to assess the performance of the three-telescope system. The addition of the LST-1 telescope allows the recovery of events in which one of the MAGIC images is too dim to survive analysis quality cuts. Results. Thanks to the resulting increase in the collection area and stronger background rejection, we find a significant improvement in sensitivity, allowing the detection of 30% weaker fluxes in the energy range between 200 GeV and 3 TeV. The spectrum of the Crab Nebula, reconstructed in the energy range ~60 GeV to ~10 TeV, is in agreement with previous measurements.

One of the proposed Medium-Sized Telescopes for the Cherenkov Telescope Array is the dual mirror optics Schwarzschild–Couder Telescope (SCT). The prototype SCT camera is currently equipped with 24 SiPM modules each one made of 64 pixels. The upgrade of the current camera is in progress, with the aim of fully equipping the 177 SiPM modules. A new front-end electronics is being developed and tested in order to improve the noise performance and match CTA requirements. In this process, 11328 SiPMs and the related electronics will be tested in the laboratories before the assembly on the telescope camera. The SiPM Multichannel ASIC for high Resolutions Cherenkov Telescope (SMART) has been developed by INFN to amplify the SiPM signals to be digitized and inserted in the trigger logic based on the TeV Array with GSa/s sampling and Experimental Trigger Application Specific Integrated Circuit (TARGET ASICs). An experimental setup has been devised to test about 750 SMART, which will be used to equip the full camera of the prototype SCT. Each SMART was tested for proper operation in response to a laser pulse. In this contribution we present a detailed scheme of the test bench and the first results obtained on the quality control measurements.

In recent years, Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) have proven to be highly suitable devices for applications where high sensitivity to low-intensity light and fast responses are required. Among their many advantages are their low operational voltage when compared with classical photomultiplier tubes, mechanical robustness, and increased photon detection efficiency (PDE). Here we present a full characterization of a SiPM device technology developed in Italy by Fondazione Bruno Kessler, which is suitable for Cherenkov light detection in the Near-Ultraviolet (NUV) band. This device is a High-Density (HD) NUV SiPM, based on a microcell of 40 mu m x 40 mu m and with an area of 6 x 6 mm2, providing low levels of dark noise and high PDE peaking in the NUV band. This particular device has been selected to equip a part of the focal plane of the Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT) prototype proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) Observatory.

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a next-generation ground-based observatory for gamma-ray astronomy at very high energies. The Large-Sized Telescope prototype (LST-1) is located at the CTA-North site, on the Canary Island of La Palma. LSTs are designed to provide optimal performance in the lowest part of the energy range covered by CTA, down to ≃20 GeV. LST-1 started performing astronomical observations in 2019 November, during its commissioning phase, and it has been taking data ever since. We present the first LST-1 observations of the Crab Nebula, the standard candle of very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy, and use them, together with simulations, to assess the performance of the telescope. LST-1 has reached the expected performance during its commissioning period—only a minor adjustment of the preexisting simulations was needed to match the telescope’s behavior. The energy threshold at trigger level is around 20 GeV, rising to ≃30 GeV after data analysis. Performance parameters depend strongly on energy, and on the strength of the gamma-ray selection cuts in the analysis: angular resolution ranges from 0.°12–0.°40, and energy resolution from 15%–50%. Flux sensitivity is around 1.1% of the Crab Nebula flux above 250 GeV for a 50 hr observation (12% for 30 minutes). The spectral energy distribution (in the 0.03–30 TeV range) and the light curve obtained for the Crab Nebula agree with previous measurements, considering statistical and systematic uncertainties. A clear periodic signal is also detected from the pulsar at the center of the Nebula.

LHAASO J2108+5157 is one of the few known unidentified Ultra-High-Energy (UHE) gamma-ray sources with no Very-High-Energy (VHE) counterpart, recently discovered by the LHAASO collaboration. We observed LHAASO J2108+5157 in the X-ray band with XMM-Newton in 2021 for a total of 3.8 hours and at TeV energies with the Large-Sized Telescope prototype (LST-1), yielding 49 hours of good quality data. In addition, we analyzed 12 years of Fermi-LAT data, to better constrain emission of its High-Energy (HE) counterpart 4FGL J2108.0+5155. We found an excess (3.7 sigma) in the LST-1 data at energies E > 3 TeV. Further analysis in the whole LST-1 energy range assuming a point-like source, resulted in a hint (2.2 sigma) of hard emission which can be described with a single power law with photon index Gamma = 1.6 +- 0.2 between 0.3 - 100 TeV. We did not find any significant extended emission which could be related to a Supernova Remnant (SNR) or Pulsar Wind Nebula (PWN) in the XMM-Newton data, which puts strong constraints on possible synchrotron emission of relativistic electrons. The LST-1 and LHAASO observations can be explained as inverse Compton-dominated leptonic emission of relativistic electrons with a cutoff energy of $100^{+70}_{-30}$ TeV. The low magnetic field in the source imposed by the X-ray upper limits on synchrotron emission is compatible with a hypothesis of a PWN or a TeV halo. The lack of a pulsar in the neighborhood of the UHE source is a challenge to the PWN/TeV-halo scenario. The UHE gamma rays can also be explained as $\pi^0$ decay-dominated hadronic emission due to interaction of relativistic protons with one of the two known molecular clouds in the direction of the source. The hard spectrum in the LST-1 band is compatible with protons escaping a shock around a middle-aged SNR because of their high low-energy cut-off.

Plastic scintillators are widely used for anti-coincidence systems and for the identification of charged cosmic-ray nuclei in satellite experiments. For this reason, a plastic scintillator detector (PSD) should have a high detection efficiency for charged cosmic rays and a very good capability of measuring charges. We implemented a full and customizable simulation tool to investigate the performance of a PSD coupled to Silicon Photomultipliers. The overall performance of the detector is studied by tracking optical photons produced inside the scintillator. The simulation will be used for the design of a PSD for future space experiments, such as HERD, AMEGO, e-Astrogam. In this work we investigated in detail the effect of Birks’ saturation in the discrimination of charged ions up to iron nuclei. We will show the comparison between simulations and measurements conducted on prototype scintillator tiles.