High Energy Gamma Ray projects at the Institute of Space Sciences (ISS)

The efforts made at the Institute of Space Sciences in Bucharest to open the VHE gamma ray window in Romania:

- build a ground based Cherenkov telescope for the study of the VHE gamma rays

- already have two ongoing projects financed by national programs, that are thought to open the way for building this telescope

High Energy Gamma Ray projects at the Institute of Space Sciences (ISS)

• Studies concerning the installation of a High Energy Gamma Ray Cherenkov telescope in Romania – GAMMATEL

Project No. 81-010 / Sept. 18, 2007, PNCDI2, 21 Months

web site: venus.nipne.ro/projects/gammatel

Partners at the Project:

- Institute of the Space Sciences (ISS) (the leading Institution,

Project Manager - Dr. Aurelian Andrei RADU, andreiradu@venus.nipne.ro)

- National Meteorological Administration (METEO)

- The Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (TUCEB)

High Energy Gamma Ray projects at the Institute of Space Sciences (ISS)

General Objectives (GAMMATEL – project)

a) Gain the necessary knowledge to build a first Gamma Ray Observatory in Romania. Choose a site which complies with specific requirements such as: high enough altitude, large horizon, meteorological conditions to allow observations.

b) Realistic estimation of the necessary technical effort for building the observatory: a conception plan for the dome, the ice-melting and heating system, the evaluation of the necessary electrical power, the evaluation of the operations for the local infrastructure (roads, electrical network, water, etc.).

c) Identification of a group of companies (designing, building, etc.) with whom to create a consortium for building the observatory.

d) A preliminary analysis of the environmental impact as well as a of the impact on the local community.

e) Strengthen the connection with the ApPEC and ASPERA members, in order to submit a proposal for a large European gamma ray astronomy infrastructure, in the frame of FP7.

High Energy Gamma Ray projects at the Institute of Space Sciences (ISS)

• Optomecatronic measuring system for the light of night sky background that affect the ground based experiments to detect galactic and extragalactic gamma rays - OPTOGATRON

Project No. 82-099 / Oct. 01, 2008, PNCDI2, 36 Months

The OPTOGATRON project has just been financed

Partners at the Project:

- Institute of the Space Sciences (ISS) (the leading Institution,

Project Manager - Dr. Aurelian Andrei RADU, andreiradu@venus.nipne.ro)

- National Meteorological Administration (METEO)

- The National Institute for Research & Development in Fine

Mechanics (INCDMF)

- Romanian Space Agency (ROSA)

High Energy Gamma Ray projects at the Institute of Space Sciences (ISS)

The general objective: to design, build and test a complex system for the measurement of the LONS (light of night sky) background that affects the ground based Cherenkov telescopes.

This system may be used in the selection procedure of an optimum location for the operation of a Cherenkov telescope and may represent a significant instrumental contribution for Romania and the European CTA project.