Small-Size Cherenkov Telescope with an SiPM-Based Camera: Full-Particle Modeling of the Cosmic γ-Ray Source Detection Threshold

Full-particle massive modeling of physical processes in the Earth’s atmosphere leading to generation of Cherenkov radiation in γ-ray- and proton-induced extensive air showers (EASs), as well as Monte Carlo modeling of photon transport in small-size Cherenkov telescope and signal registration with a camera based on OnSemi MicroFJ type semiconductor photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors have been performed. Calculations have been carried out for primaries with energies in the 0.3–30 TeV range and a Cherenkov telescope with an ≃10 m 2 mirror similar to that employed at the TAIGA observatory. It is shown that, even with strict selection criteria ensuring high-quality EAS images, the threshold detection energy of the SiPM-based camera would not exceed 0.8 TeV, which is about twice as low as the detection threshold (≃1.5 TeV) of a small-size TAIGA-IACT telescope camera based on vacuum photomultipliers.