The MIDAS telescope for microwave detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays
Published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2013
Recommended citation: J. Alvarez-Muniz, E. Amaral, A. Berlin, M. Bogdan, M. Bohacova, C. Bonifazi, W.R. Carvalho, J.R.T. Mello, P. Facal, J.F. Genat, N. Hollon, E. Mills, M. Monasor, P. Privitera, A. Castro, L.C. Reyes, M. Richardson, B. Rouille, E.M. Santos, S. Wayne, C. Williams, E. Zas, J. Zhou, "The MIDAS telescope for microwave detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays." Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2013. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0168900213003185
Abstract
We present the design, implementation and data taking performance of the MIcrowave Detection of Air Showers (MIDAS) experiment, a large field of view imaging telescope designed to detect microwave radiation from extensive air showers induced by ultra-high energy cosmic rays. This novel technique may bring a tenfold increase in detector duty cycle when compared to the standard fluorescence technique based on detection of ultraviolet photons. The MIDAS telescope consists of a 4.5 m diameter dish with a 53-pixel receiver camera, instrumented with feed horns operating in the commercial extended C-Band (3.4-4.2 GHz). A self-trigger capability is implemented in the digital electronics. The main objectives of this first prototype of the MIDAS telescope - to validate the telescope design, and to demonstrate a large detector duty cycle - were successfully accomplished in a dedicated data taking run at the University of Chicago campus prior to installation at the Pierre Auger Observatory. {\textcopyright} 2013 Elsevier B.V.