Commissioning and Operation of the SST-1M Stereoscopic Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes

[ Matthieu Heller (University of Geneva), Gamma 2024 – Milano, 2.-6. September 2024 ]

The small-size single mirror telescopes, SST-1Ms, are two Cherenkov telescope prototypes developed by a consortium of Czech, Polish, and Swiss institutions. Featuring a 9.42 m² multi-segment mirror and a 5.6 m focal length, the SST-1Ms offer a broad 9-degree field of view and have proven capable of detecting gamma rays with energies starting from several hundred GeV. The innovative cameras incorporate a compact photo-detector plane with 1296 hexagonal silicon photomultiplier pixels and a fully digital readout and trigger system utilizing 250 MSps FADCs.

Currently undergoing commissioning at the Ondrejov Observatory in the Czech Republic, the stereoscopic system is actively collecting data from astrophysical gamma-ray sources. This presentation details the commissioning of the optical systems and cameras, including the calibration of the telescope’s response to varying night sky background levels. The performance of the instrument in both monoscopic and stereoscopic modes is also discussed.

[ Book of Abstracts PDF (at Gamma2024 site) … ]