ARMENIA-PRODUCED MIRRORS ON LARGEST EVER BUILT CHERENKOV TELESCOPE

[Yervant1]

ARMENIA-PRODUCED MIRRORS ON LARGEST EVER BUILT CHERENKOV TELESCOPE

By Anahit Sargsyan

 

http://news.am/eng/news/129795.html

November 26, 2012 | 00:05

 

YEREVAN.- The largest ever built Cherenkov telescope has 875 hexagonal

mirror facets each of them having a stamp with "Armenia" inscription

on it.

 

The largest H.E.S.S. II telescope with an area of 600 square meters

started operation in Namibia in September 2012. Together with

other four 12-meter telescopes already in operation since 2004,

the observatory will continue studying cosmic sources. The High

Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) observatory is operated by the

collaboration of scientists from 12 different countries, including

Yerevan Physics Institute.

 

General view of H.E.S.S.II telescope

 

Official inauguration of the first H.E.S.S. II telescope was held

on September 28, 2012. The mirror facets for a telescope as tall as

20-storey building were produced by Galaktika CJSC (Garni) which is

a part of physics and astrophysics department at the National Academy

of Sciences of Armenia.

 

The company has been cooperating with Germany-based Max Planck

Institute for Nuclear Physics since 2002, Galaktika CJSC Director

Ara Mirzoyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. Armenia won the tender and

was selected as a producer of mirrors for the world's largest H.E.S.S

II telescope.

 

Opening ceremony in the reflection

 

Since Cherenkov telescopes are installed without a dome, the

requirements for mirrors are very strict. The product was to be

adopted by Germany and metrology should be carried out in Germany

as well. Therefore, Galaktika has developed a device to measure the

mirror reflectance which has no analogue in the post-Soviet area.

 

General view of Cherenkov observatory in Namibia

 

It was rather difficult to find skilled manual workers but they

worked hard to deliver the orders in time. They managed to meet the

requirements and deliver 900 mirrors within specified schedule.

 

"During the opening ceremony in Namibia it was noted German side is

proud of the team working for the project. It is a great honor and

we are really proud," Mirzoyan said.

 

Mirror reflectance measuring device designed by Galaktika CJSC

 

The scientists faced certain difficulties in the course of their work

but the most important is to achieve result.

 

"We were honored to hear high praise by Werner Hofmann, the Director

of Max Planck Institute," Mirzoyan added.

 

The first images from H.E.S.S.II were received on July 26 before the

official opening. At the moment the data is being studied and the

project is declared successful.

 

Mirror polishing

 

Ara Mirzoyan said each member state paid about 1 million euro for

participation in H.E.S.S. collaboration.

 

"Under the decision of the Armenian government, Yerevan Physics

Institute produced 200 additional mirrors for Germany as a contribution

to the project. In addition to the Institute, the National Academy

of Sciences is also a full member of H.E.S.S.

 

collaboration," the scientist explained.

 

Each mirror has a serial number and 'Armenia' stamp

 

Mirzoyan and his team plans to continue their efforts and participate

in the next tender invited for a larger project called The Cherenkov

Telescope Array (CTA) which is estimated at 200 million euro. The goal

of the project is to build two observatories with 100 small telescopes.

 

Each mirror was packed in a separate container for safe transportation

 

"While producing mirrors for H.E.S.S. project, we increased our

production capacity. We hope to win the next tender as well. We

produced 900 mirrors in nearly two years. To date, nobody in the

world has such a production rate," he added.

 

Mirzoyan expressed great appreciation to the team members, the

people whose work gives an opportunity to see "Armenia" inscription

on 875 mirrors.

 

You can see 'Armenia' inscription 875 times on H.E.S.S.II

[MosJan]

wow good find Yervand jan