2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Simultaneous observation of TeV time-variable objects and gamma-ray burst afterglows with an optical telescope
| Project/Area Number |
14540248
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
素粒子・核・宇宙線
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
MORI Masaki The University of Tokyo, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, Professor, 宇宙線研究所, 教授 (80210136)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ENOMOTO Ryoji The University of Tokyo, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, Associate Professor, 宇宙線研究所, 助教授 (80183755)
KAWACHI Akiko The University of Tokyo, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, Research Associate, 宇宙線研究所, 助手 (70332591)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2002 – 2004
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| Keywords | Gamma-ray objects / Active galactic nuclei / Gamma-ray burst / CCD camera |
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| Research Abstract |
We installed a small automated optical telescope system next to CANGAROO, an array of four imaging Cherenkov telescopes for very-high-energy gamma-ray observation in Woomera, South Australia, in collaboration of Japanese and Australian institutions. The main aim of this project is to monitor time-variable TeV objects, such as active galactic nuclei, and to execute follow-up observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows in optical waveband. Also this telescope can be used to monitor atmospheric condition which is important in Cherenkov observations by observing starlight extinction near the field-of-view of the Cherenkov observations.
The system consists of a 30-cm diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (Meade LX200-30) and a cooled CCD camera (Apogee Ap-7p) controlled by a Linux-based computer via a network. It is equipped with an automated filter wheel with Johnson filters, thus enabling multiwavelength photometry. The observation hut has an automatic roof with use of motors which can be controlled by the computer. For automatic operation it includes various sensors such as a rain monitor which triggers automatic closing of the roof. We developed the software for all of these with help of collaborators. We succeeded in taking some test images with this system. This automated system has been under final tuning and testing in Woomera. With a continuous network connection, it can be used for follow-up observation of gamma-ray burst afterglows.
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