Monte Carlo design studies for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

• DOI: 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2012.10.002
• Publication Date: 2012-10-22T12:46:19Z
• Authors: K. Bernlöhr; A. Barnacka; Y. Becherini; O. Blanch Bigas; E. Carmona; P. Colin; G. Decerprit; F. Di Pierro; F. Dubois; C. Farnier; S. Funk; G. Hermann; J.A. Hinton; T.B. Humensky; B. Khélifi; T. Kihm; N. Komin; J.-P. Lenain; G. Maier; D. Mazin; M.C. Medina; A. Moralejo; S.J. Nolan; S. Ohm; E. de Oña Wilhelmi; R.D. Parsons; M. Paz Arribas; G. Pedaletti; S. Pita; H. Prokoph; C.B. Rulten; U. Schwanke; M. Shayduk; V. Stamatescu; P. Vallania; S. Vorobiov; R. Wischnewski; T. Yoshikoshi; A. Zech
• Keywords: Cherenkov Telescope Array

The Cherenkov Telescopes Array (CTA) is planned as the future instrument for very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray astronomy with a wide energy range of four orders magnitude and an improvement in sensitivity compared to current instruments about order magnitude. Monte Carlo simulations are crucial tool design CTA. ultimate goal these find most cost-effective solution given physics goals thus or find, cost, best suited different types targets Apart from uncertain component cost estimates, main problem this procedure dependence on huge number configuration parameters, both specifications individual telescope array layout. This addressed by simulation intended superset many realistic layouts, also subsets parameters. Different analysis methods -- use installations extended (or developed specifically) CTA applied simulated data sets deriving expected In paper we describe status iterative approach optimize