The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 VHE Gamma-ray Astronomy
1.2 Next Generation Telescopes
1.3 VERITAS Philosophy
2 Scientific Motivation
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Extragalactic Astrophysics
2.2.1 Active Galactic Nuclei
2.2.2 Background Infrared Radiation
2.2.3 Gamma-ray Bursts
2.3 Galactic astrophysics
2.3.1 Shell-type supernova remnants and cosmic rays
2.3.2 Compact Galactic Objects
2.4 Fundamental Physics
2.4.1 Neutralino annihilation in the Galactic center
2.4.2 Quantum gravity
2.4.3 Primordial black holes
3 Technical Description
3.1 The Atmospheric Cherenkov Imaging Technique
3.2 VERITAS Telescope Design
3.3 Mounts: Optical Support Structure/Pedestal
3.4 Electronic Camera
3.4.1 Outline
3.4.2 Front-end Electronics
3.4.3 Trigger Electronics
3.4.4 Signal Recording
4 Array performance
4.1 Justification of VERITAS parameters
4.2 Angular resolution
4.3 Collection area
4.4 Energy threshold
4.5 Energy resolution
4.6 Flux sensitivity
5 History and Status of Technique
5.1 History
5.2 Status
6 Management
6.1 Management Structure
6.1.1 Program Management
6.1.2 Executive Committee
6.1.3 Scientific Director
6.1.4 Project Manager
6.1.5 Working Groups
6.1.6 Telescope Time Allocation Committee
6.2 Organization and Structure
6.3 Collaboration Membership
6.4 Division of Responsibilities
7 Budget and Schedule
7.1 Cost Estimate
7.2 Discussion
7.2.1 Technical Reviews
7.2.2 Potential Sources of Funding
7.3 Site and Facilities
7.4 Schedule
8 VERITAS Outreach
Appendices
A Scientific Motivation
A.1 Active Galactic Nuclei
A.1.1 Basics
A.1.2 Introduction
A.1.3 Status of Very High Energy Observations
A.1.4 Implications of VHE observations
A.1.5 Detailed Studies of AGN with VERITAS
A.1.6 Broad Studies of AGN with VERITAS
A.2 The Extragalactic Infrared Background
A.2.1 Implications for VERITAS
A.3 Gamma-Ray Bursts
A.3.1 Introduction
A.3.2 Importance of very high energy photons from GRBs
A.3.3 Likelihood of VERITAS detection
A.4 Supernova Remnants and Cosmic-Rays
A.4.1 Introduction
A.4.2 Cosmic-Ray Acceleration in Supernova Remnants
A.4.3 Diffuse Galactic Gamma-Ray Emission
A.4.4 Local Cosmic-Ray Studies
A.5 Compact Galactic Objects
A.5.1 Introduction
A.5.2 Pulsar-Powered Nebulae
A.5.3 Gamma-Ray Pulsars
A.5.4 Galactic Superluminal Jet Sources
A.5.5 Unidentified Galactic EGRET Sources
A.5.6 VERITAS Galactic Plane Survey
A.6 Fundamental Physics
A.6.1 Introduction
A.6.2 Neutralino Annihilation in the Galactic Center
A.6.3 Constraints on Radiative Neutrino Decay
A.6.4 Quantum Gravity and the Speed of Light
A.6.5 Primordial Black Holes
B Design Studies
B.1 Introduction
B.2 Event Reconstruction
B.2.1 Image Cleanup
B.2.2 Combination of Individual Images
B.2.3 Shower Axis Projection
B.2.4 Reversed Rays
B.2.5 Photon Selection Criteria
B.2.6 Energy Reconstruction
B.3 Gamma-Ray Flux Sensitivity
B.3.1 Angular Acceptance
B.3.2 Collection Area
B.3.3 Energy Threshold
B.3.4 Angular Resolution
B.3.5 Extended Sources
B.3.6 Detection Rates
B.3.7 Gamma-Ray Flux Sensitivity
B.4 Large Zenith Angle Observations
B.5 Night Sky Background
B.5.1 Trigger Rates due to the NSB
B.5.2 Trigger with Patch Coincidences
B.6 Alternative designs
B.6.1 Comparison of Options and Choice of VERITAS Parameters
C Technical Description
C.1 Optical Design
C.1.1 Davies-Cotton Telescope
C.1.2 Tolerances
C.2 Mirrors
C.2.1 Mirror Facets
C.2.2 Mirror Testing
C.2.3 Mirror Mounts
C.3 Mounts: Optics Support Structure/Pedestal
C.4 Detectors and Electronics
C.4.1 Focal Plane Camera
C.4.2 Electronics Design
C.4.3 Trigger Levels
C.4.4 Flash Analog-to-Digital Converter
C.4.5 Fiber Optics for Analog Signals
C.4.6 System Electronic Specifications
C.4.7 Data Acquisition, Analysis and Archiving
C.4.8 Data Acquisition
C.4.9 Data analysis/archiving
C.5 Calibration
C.5.1 Introduction
C.5.2 VERITAS Calibration procedure
C.5.3 Description of VERITAS Calibration Measurements
D Site and Facilities
D.1 Site
D.2 Site Approval
D.3 Facility Description
D.4 Facility Phasing
E Budget Justification
F VERITAS Collaborators
G Agreements and Endorsements
