Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

TAIGA Gamma Observatory: Status and Prospects

  • Elementary Particles and Fields
  • Experiment
  • Published:
Physics of Atomic Nuclei Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Over the past few years, the TAIGA (Tunka Advanced Instrument for cosmic ray physics and Gamma-ray Astronomy) observatory has been being deployed in the Tunka Valley, Republic of Buryatia. It is designed for studying gamma rays of energy above 30 TeV and performing searches for sources of galactic cosmic rays with energies in the vicinity of 1 PeV, which is an energy region around the classic knee in the cosmic-ray energy spectrum. The first phase of the observatory will be situated at a distance of about 50 km from Lake Baikal at the site of the Tunka-133 array. The TAIGA gamma observatory will include a network of 500 wide-angle (0.6 sr) Cherenkov detectors (TAIGA-HiSCORE array) and up to 16 atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (ACT) designed for analyzing the EAS images (imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, or IACT) and positioned within an area of 5 km2. The observatory will also include muon detectors of total area 2000 m2 distributed over an area of 1 km2. Within the next three years, it is planned to enhance the area of the TAIGA-HiSCORE array by a factor of four—from 0.25 km2 to 1 km2; to supplement the existing IACT with two new ones; and to deploy new muon detectors with a total coverage of 200 m2. The structure of the new observatory is described along with the data analysis techniques used. The most interesting physical results are presented, and the research program for the future is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. HESS Collab. (A. Abramowski et al.), Nature (London, U.K.) 531, 476 (2016).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. VERITAS Collab. (V. A. Acciari et al.), Astrophys. J. Lett. 730, L20 (2011).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. MAGIC Collab. (S. Ansoldi et al.), Astron. Astrophys. 585, A133 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. A. A. Abdo, B. T. Allen, T. Aune, D. Berley, C. Chen, G. E. Christopher, T. De Young, B. L. Dingus, R. W. Ellsworth, M. M. Gonzalez, J. A. Goodman, E. Hays, C. M. Hoffman, P. H. Hüntemeyer, B. E. Kolterman, J. T. Linnemann, et al., Astrophys. J. Lett. 700, L127 (2009).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. HAWC Collab. (A. U. Abeysekara et al.), arXiv: 1701.01778.

  6. V. S. Ptuskin, Phys. Usp. 50, 534 (2007).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. IceCube Collab. (M. G. Aartsen et al.), Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 081102 (2015).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. C. Spiering, in Proceedings of the 16th Lomonosov Conference on Elementary Particle Physics, Moscow, Russia, 2013, Ed. by A. Studenikin (World Scientific, Singapore, 2013), p.105.

  9. Baikal Collab. (A. D. Avrorin et al.), EPJ Web Conf. 121, 05003 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. KM3NeT Collab. (S. Adrán-Martíne et al.), J. Phys. G 43, 084001 (2016).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. IceCube-Gen2 Collab. (M. G. Aartsen et al.), arXiv: 1510.05228.

  12. Tunka Collab. (S. F. Berezhnev et al.), Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 692, 98 (2012).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tunka-REX Collab. (P. A. Bezyazeekov et al.), J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 01, 052 (2016).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Tunka Kollab. (R. D. Monkhoev et al.), Bull. Russ. Acad. Sci.: Phys. 81, 468 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  15. TAIGACollab. (N. Budnev et al.), J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 718, 052006 (2016).

    Google Scholar 

  16. TAIGA Collab. (L. Kuzmichev et al.), EPJWeb Conf. 145, 01001 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  17. M. Tluczykont, D. Hampf, D. Horns, T. Kneiske, R. Eichler, R. Nachtigall, and G. Rowell, Adv. Space Res. 48, 1935 (2011).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. M. Tluczykont, D. Hampf, D. Horns, D. Spitschan, L. Kuzmichev, V. Prosin, C. Spiering, and R. Wischnewski, Astropart. Phys. 56, 42 (2014).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. A. M. Hillas, in Proceedings of the 19th International Cosmic Ray Conference, La Jolla, USA, 1985, Ed. by F. C. Jones, J. Adams, and G.M. Mason (NASA Conf. Publ., Washington, 1985), Vol. 3, p.445.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. CTA Collab. (B. S. Acharya et al.), Astropart. Phys. 43, 3 (2013).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. TAIGA Kollab. (S. F. Berezhnev et al.), Bull. Russ. Acad. Sci.: Phys. 79, 348 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  22. TAIGA Collab. (O. Gress et al.), Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 845, 367 (2017).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Tunka Collab. (V. V. Prosin et al.), Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 756, 94 (2014).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. TAIGA Collab. (A. Porelli et al.), J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 632, 012041 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  25. http://cats.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

  26. V. Lipunov, V. Kornilov, E. Gorbovskoy, N. Shatskij, D. Kuvshinov, N. Tyurina, A. Belinski, A. Krylov, P. Balanutsa, V. Chazov, A. Kuznetsov, P. Kortunov, A. Sankovich, A. Tlatov, A. Parkhomenko, V. Krushinsky, et al., Adv. Astron. 2010, 349171 (2010).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. TAIGA Collab. (A. Porelli et al.), PoS(ICRC2017) 754 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  28. A. D. Panov, J. H. Adams, Jr., H. S. An, G. L. Bashinzhagyan, J. W. Watts, J. P. Wefel, J. Wu, O. Ganel, T. G. Guzik, V. I. Zatsepin, I. Isbert, K. C. Kim, M. Christl, E. N. Kuznetsov, M. I. Panasyuk, E. S. Sio, et al., Bull. Russ. Acad. Sci.: Phys. 73, 564 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. E. Atkin, V. Bulatov, V. Dorokhov, N. Gorbunov, S. Filippov, V. Grebenyuk, D. Karmanov, I. Kovalev, I. Kudryashov, A. Kurganov, M. Merkin, A. Panov, D. Podorozhny, D. Polkov, S. Porokhovoy, V. Shumikhin, et al., J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 7, 020 (2017).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. N. Budnev, D. Chernov, O. Gress, E. Korosteleva, L. Kuzmichev, B. Lubsandorzhiev, G. Navarra, L. Pankov, V. Prosin, Yu. Semeney, C. Spiering, R. Wischnewski, and I. Yashin, Astropart. Phys. 50–52, 18 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. K. Meagher (for the VERITAS Collab.), PoS(ICRC2015) 792 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  32. HEGRA Collab. (F. Aharonian et al.), Astrophys. J. 614, 897 (2004).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. MAGIC Collab. (J. Aleksić et al.), JHEA 5–6, 30 (2015).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. TAIGA Collab. (L. Sveshnikova et al.), PoS(ICRC2017) 677 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  35. G. Sinnis (on behalf of the Milagro and HAWC Collabs.), Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 623, 410 (2010).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. S. Cui, Ye Liu, Yu. Liu, and X. Ma (on behalf of the LHAASO Collab.), Astropart. Phys. 54, 86 (2014).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia

    L. A. Kuzmichev, N. N. Kalmykov, N. I. Karpov, V. A. Kozhin, E. E. Korosteleva, N. B. Lubsandorzhiev, E. A. Osipova, M. I. Panasyuk, E. G. Popova, E. B. Postnikov, V. V. Prosin, L. G. Sveshnikova, A. A. Silaev, A. A. Silaev Jr., A. V. Skurikhin, V. P. Sulakov & A. Sh. M. Elshoukrofy

  2. Research Institute ofApplied Physics, Irkutsk State Universiry, Bul’var Gagarina 20, Irkutsk, 664003, Russia

    L. A. Kuzmichev, P. A. Bezyazeekov, N. M. Budnev, A. R. Gafarov, O. A. Gress, T. I. Gress, O. G. Grishin, A. N. Dyachok, A. V. Zagorodnikov, V. L. Zurbanov, A. L. Ivanova, Y. A. Kazarina, S. N. Kiryuhin, V. V. Lenok, R. R. Mirgazov, R. D. Monkhoev, L. V. Pankov, A. L. Pakhorukov, V. A. Poleschuk, A. A. Pushnin, V. S. Samoliga, Yu. A. Semeney, V. A. Tabolenko, B. A. Tarashansky & O. L. Fedorov

  3. National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Kashirskoe sh. 31, Moscow, 115409, Russia

    I. I. Astapov, V. V. Kindin, R. P. Kokoulin, K. G. Kompaniets, A. A. Petrukhin & I. I. Yashin

  4. Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, ul. Joliot-Curie 6, Dubna, Moscow oblast, 141980, Russia

    V. Boreyko, A. N. Borodin, N. V. Gorbunov, V. M. Grebenyuk, A. A. Grinyuk, Ya. I. Sagan, M. Slunecka, L. G. Tkachev & A. V. Tkachenko

  5. Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Platanenallee 6, 15738, Zeuthen, Germany

    R. Wischnewski, A. Porelli & C. Spiering

  6. Novosibirsk State University, ul. Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

    A. Y. Garmash, P. S. Kirilenko, E. A. Kravchenko & A. V. Sokolov

  7. Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

    A. Y. Garmash, E. A. Kravchenko, R. Nachtigall & A. V. Sokolov

  8. Institut für Experimentalphysik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, D - 22 761, Hamburg, Germany

    M. Kunnas, M. Tluczykont & A. D. Horns

  9. Physics Department of the University of Torino, Via Pietro Giuria 1, 10125, Torino, TO, Italy

    A. Chiavassa

  10. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Torino, Italy

    A. Chiavassa

  11. Altai State University, pr. Lenina 61, Barnaul, Altai krai, 656049, Russia

    A. A. Lagutin & R. I. Raikin

  12. Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Shestidesyatiletiya Oktyabrya 7a, Moscow, 117312, Russia

    B. K. Lubsandorzhiev, G. I. Rubtsov & A. Y. Sidorenkov

  13. Max Planck Institute for Physics, Fohringer Ring 6, 80805, Munchen, Germany

    R. Mirzoyan

  14. Space Science Institute, Magurele, 077125, Romania

    M. Popesku

  15. Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kaluzhskoe sh. 4, Troitsk, Moscow, 142190, Russia

    V. S. Ptuskin

  16. Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt

    A. Sh. M. Elshoukrofy

Authors
  1. L. A. Kuzmichev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I. I. Astapov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. A. Bezyazeekov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V. Boreyko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. N. Borodin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. N. M. Budnev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. R. Wischnewski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A. Y. Garmash
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. A. R. Gafarov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. N. V. Gorbunov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. V. M. Grebenyuk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. O. A. Gress
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. T. I. Gress
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. A. A. Grinyuk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. O. G. Grishin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. A. N. Dyachok
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  17. A. V. Zagorodnikov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  18. V. L. Zurbanov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  19. A. L. Ivanova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  20. Y. A. Kazarina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  21. N. N. Kalmykov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  22. N. I. Karpov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  23. V. V. Kindin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  24. P. S. Kirilenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  25. S. N. Kiryuhin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  26. V. A. Kozhin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  27. R. P. Kokoulin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  28. K. G. Kompaniets
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  29. E. E. Korosteleva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  30. E. A. Kravchenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  31. M. Kunnas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  32. A. Chiavassa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  33. A. A. Lagutin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  34. V. V. Lenok
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  35. B. K. Lubsandorzhiev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  36. N. B. Lubsandorzhiev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  37. R. R. Mirgazov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  38. R. Mirzoyan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  39. R. D. Monkhoev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  40. R. Nachtigall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  41. E. A. Osipova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  42. M. I. Panasyuk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  43. L. V. Pankov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  44. A. L. Pakhorukov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  45. A. A. Petrukhin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  46. V. A. Poleschuk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  47. M. Popesku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  48. E. G. Popova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  49. A. Porelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  50. E. B. Postnikov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  51. V. V. Prosin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  52. V. S. Ptuskin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  53. A. A. Pushnin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  54. R. I. Raikin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  55. G. I. Rubtsov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  56. Ya. I. Sagan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  57. V. S. Samoliga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  58. L. G. Sveshnikova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  59. Yu. A. Semeney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  60. A. Y. Sidorenkov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  61. A. A. Silaev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  62. A. A. Silaev Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  63. A. V. Skurikhin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  64. M. Slunecka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  65. A. V. Sokolov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  66. V. P. Sulakov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  67. V. A. Tabolenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  68. B. A. Tarashansky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  69. L. G. Tkachev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  70. A. V. Tkachenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  71. M. Tluczykont
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  72. O. L. Fedorov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  73. A. D. Horns
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  74. C. Spiering
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  75. A. Sh. M. Elshoukrofy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  76. I. I. Yashin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. B. Postnikov.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © L.A. Kuzmichev, I.I. Astapov, P.A. Bezyazeekov, V. Boreyko, A.N. Borodin, N.M. Budnev, R. Wischnewski, A.Y. Garmash, A.R. Gafarov, N.V. Gorbunov, V.M. Grebenyuk, O.A. Gress, T.I. Gress, A.A. Grinyuk, O.G. Grishin, A.N. Dyachok, A.V. Zagorodnikov, V.L. Zurbanov, A.L. Ivanova, Y.A. Kazarina, N.N. Kalmykov, N.I. Karpov, V.V. Kindin, P.S. Kirilenko, S.N. Kiryuhin, V.A. Kozhin, R.P. Kokoulin, K.G. Kompaniets, E.E. Korosteleva, E.A. Kravchenko, M. Kunnas, A. Chiavassa, A.A. Lagutin, V.V. Lenok, B.K. Lubsandorzhiev, N.B. Lubsandorzhiev, R.R. Mirgazov, R. Mirzoyan, R.D. Monkhoev, R. Nachtigall, E.A. Osipova, M.I. Panasyuk, L.V. Pankov, A.L. Pakhorukov, A.A. Petrukhin, V.A. Poleschuk, M. Popesku, E.G. Popova, A. Porelli, E.B. Postnikov, V.V. Prosin, V.S. Ptuskin, A.A. Pushnin, R.I. Raikin, G.I. Rubtsov, Ya.I. Sagan, V.S. Samoliga, L.G. Sveshnikova, Yu.A. Semeney, A.Y. Sidorenkov, A.A. Silaev, A.A. Silaev Jr., A.V. Skurikhin, M. Slunecka, A.V. Sokolov, V.P. Sulakov, V.A. Tabolenko, B.A. Tarashansky, L.G. Tkachev, A.V. Tkachenko, M. Tluczykont, O.L. Fedorov, A.D. Horns, C. Spiering, A.Sh.M. Elshoukrofy, I.I. Yashin, 2018, published in Yadernaya Fizika, 2018, Vol. 81, No. 4, pp. 469–480.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kuzmichev, L.A., Astapov, I.I., Bezyazeekov, P.A. et al. TAIGA Gamma Observatory: Status and Prospects. Phys. Atom. Nuclei 81, 497–507 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063778818040105

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063778818040105

Search

Navigation