Mirror Development for CTA

CTA COLLABORATION (VER F. SANCHEZ EN PUBL. ADJUNTA)

Beijing

Conferencia; 32th International Cosmic Ray Conference; 2011

IHEP

CTA will be an array of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) for VHE gamma-ray astronomy with a proposed total mirror area of approximately 10000 square meters. The challenge is to develop lightweight and cost-efficient mirrors with high production rates and good long-term durability. Several technologies are currently under rapid development: sandwich structures based on carbon/glassfibre-epoxy composite materials and monolythic carbon fibre structures, either with glass or epoxy surfaces; cold-slumped glass sheets with aluminium honeycomb or glass foam as structural material; all-Aluminium mirrors. New surface coatings are under investigation with the aim of increasing the reflectance and long-term durability. In addition, new methods for a fast and reliable testing of thousands of mirrors are being developed.