India takes big leap in gamma ray study

| | New Delhi
  • 1

India takes big leap in gamma ray study

Monday, 20 January 2020 | Archana Jyoti | New Delhi

India takes big leap in gamma ray study

Conceived in 2008, the much-awaited world’s second largest and indigenously-made MACE (Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment) gamma ray telescope is all set to function from 2020 year-end. Once the MACE system is operational, India will find its place in the elite scientific community working in field of gamma ray study.

The telescope is next to the upcoming High Altitude Energy Gamma Ray (HAGAR) observatory at 14,000 feet at Hanle in Ladakh. It has a 21-metre diameter reflector and 45-metre height with 356 mirror panels.

The first and the biggest gamma ray telescope is in La Palma in Canary Islands set up jointly by Switzerland and Germany in 2011.

Scientists involved with the project said here that an array of seven telescopes for monitoring spectacular celestial events like explosion of stars, falling of matters into black holes and collision of extraterrestrial objects have already been installed. It will detect very high energy gamma rays in the energy range of 20GeV to 10 TeV using the earth’s atmosphere as part of its detection system.

“Commissioning trials of the MACE are being conducted presently,” said Nilay Bhatt from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), which has played a lead role in setting up the project. He was sharing the details of the project at a curtain raiser for Vigyan Samagam to be held in the national Capital at National Science Centre where the MACE, one among various mega science projects being undertaken in India and abroad in collaboration with other countries, will be showcased.

Bhatt said, “Equipped with a large light collector consisting of 356 mirror panels of area 1 sqm each and 1,088 channel photomultiplier tube based imaging camera, MACE will detect extremely short (few nanoseconds) Cherenkov flashes generated by cosmic gamma rays.

“It is expected to start observations by the end of the year. To begin with it will observe a Supernova remnant called Crab to validate its performance and then it is open for explorations in space. We welcome Indian universities and institutes to make use of the facility,” he added.

MACE, which will be operated in the dark nights only, will also help understand the nature of cosmic accelerators and the radiation emission processes in extreme environments.

The telescope will help the scientific community enhance its understanding in the fields of astrophysics, fundamental physics, and particle acceleration mechanisms, explained Bhatt.

Fully designed and manufactured in India, the project is a collaboration of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TiFR ) from Mumbai and Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru besides Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). It was manufactured by industrial partner Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL).

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda