Raman LIDARs for the atmospheric calibrationalong the line-of-sight of CTA

Abstract

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next generation ground-based observatory forgamma-ray astronomy at very-high energies. Employing more than 100 Imaging AtmosphericCherenkov Telescopes in the northern and southern hemispheres, it was designed to reach un-precedented sensitivity and energy resolution. Understanding and correcting for systematic bi-ases on the absolute energy scale and instrument response functions will be a crucial issue forthe performance of CTA. The LUPM group and the Spanish/Italian/Slovenian collaboration arecurrently building two Raman LIDAR prototypes for the online atmospheric calibration alongthe line-of-sight of the CTA. Requirements for such a solution include the ability to characterizeaerosol extinction at two wavelengths to distances of 30 km with an accuracy better than 5%,within time scales of about a minute, steering capabilities and close interaction with the CTAarray control and data acquisition system as well as other auxiliary instruments. Our Raman LI-DARs have design features that make them different from those used in atmospheric science andare characterized by large collecting mirrors (∼2.5 m2), liquid light-guides that collect the light atthe focal plane and transport it to the readout system, reduced acquisition time and highly preciseRaman spectrometers. The Raman LIDARs will participate in a cross-calibration and character-ization campaign of the atmosphere at the CTA North site at La Palma, together with other sitecharacterization instruments. After a one-year test period there, an in-depth evaluation of the so-lutions adopted by the two projects will lead to a final Raman LIDAR design proposal for bothCTA sites.