Speaker
Description
An important method in gamma-ray astronomy is observation using Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs). IACTs are large-diameter, ground-based reflective telescopes equipped with sensitive cameras. The telescopes detect the faint flashes of Cherenkov light emitted during the development of extensive air showers, which are initiated by high-energy cosmic gamma-ray photons interacting with the atmosphere.
The Single-Mirror Small-Sized Telescope (SST-1M) is an IACT prototype developed by a consortium of institutions from the Czech Republic, Poland, and Switzerland. An array of two SST-1M telescopes was constructed at the Ondřejov Observatory of the Czech Academy of Sciences and has been operational since 2022. The telescopes utilize an innovative camera system featuring a photodetection plane based on silicon photomultiplier technology and fully-digitized electronics. The SST-1M can perform joint observations in stereo mode, significantly improving sensitivity, angular resolution, energy resolution and gamma/hadron separation. Since their installation, the telescopes have successfully detected several galactic and extragalactic cosmic gamma-ray sources. The ongoing discussion regarding the relocation of the telescopes is currently centered on two potential future sites. The performance of the SST-1M telescopes at both locations will be presented. Moreover, recent results from a hybrid analysis incorporating data from surface detectors will be shared.