Gamma-Hadron Separation using ?erenkov Photon Density Fluctuations |
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Authors: | V R Chitnis P N Bhat |
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Institution: | (1) Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India |
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Abstract: | In the atmospheric Čerenkov technique γ-rays are detected against the abundant background produced by hadronic showers. In
order to improve the signal to noise ratio of theexperiment, it is necessary to reject a significant fraction of hadronic
showers. Traditional background rejection methods based on image shape parameters have been extensively used for the data
from imaging telescopes. However, non-imaging Čerenkov telescopes have to develop very different means of statistically identifying
and removing cosmic ray events. Some of the parameters, which could be potentially important for non-imaging arrays, are the
temporal and spectral differences, the lateral distributions and density fluctuations of Čerenkov photons generated by γ-ray
and hadron primaries. Here we study the differences in fluctuations of Čerenkov photon density in the light pool at the observation
level from showers initiated by photons and those initiated by protons or heavier nuclei. The database of simulated events
for the PACT array has been used to evaluate the efficiency of the new technique. Various types of density fluctuations like
the short range and medium range fluctuations as well as flatness parameter are studied. The estimated quality factors reflect
the efficiencies with which the hadrons can be rejected from the data. Since some of these parameters are independent, the
cuts may be applied in tandem and we demonstrate that the proton rejection efficiency of ∼90% can be achieved. Use of density
fluctuations is particularly suited for wavefront sampling observations and it seems to be a good technique to improve the
signal to noise ratio.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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Keywords: | atmospheric Č erenkov technique Č erenkov photon density CORSIKA density fluctuations extensive air showers gamma-hadron separation simulations VHE γ -rays |
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