MPP Director Masahiro Teshima has been elected as the new spokesperson of the international CTAO consortium, which brings together 1,500 scientists from 28 research institutions. The consortium is the organizational unit of the CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) Observatory, which is setting up and will operate two sites for the observation of high-energy gamma rays from the universe - on the Canary Island of La Palma (Spain) and in Chile.
Masahiro Teshima succeeds Werner Hofmann from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, who held the post for a total of 15 years. The CTAO consortium takes on far-reaching organizational and research-related tasks: Among other things, it is responsible for defining the research questions to be investigated with the help of the telescopes and setting up the corresponding observation programs. In addition, the consortium will also manage the scientific publications as soon as the first measurement campaigns have been analyzed.
The newly elected spokesperson Masahiro Teshima is a proven expert in the field of gamma astronomy. In 2003, he joined the MAGIC research association, which has been operating two Cherenkov telescopes on Palma since 2003 and 2009 respectively. He has been a member of the CTAO since 2006, and from 2010 he focused on the development and financing of the large-size telescopes of the CTA collaboration.
“The realization of the two observatories in the northern and southern hemisphere is within reach,” says Masahiro Teshima. “It is a great honor for me to lead the CTAO consortium in this exciting phase. I firmly believe that the observatory is not only a milestone in gamma-ray astronomy, but also has a significant impact on physics in general. I’m filled with anticipation for this project's future and its role in shaping our understanding of the Universe.”
Observation of high-energy phenomena in the universe
The CTAO is currently building Cherenkov telescopes at the two sites on La Palma and in Chile, which can be used to measure gamma rays. The observation of high-energy gamma radiation provides important insights into fascinating objects in the universe, such as stellar explosions (novae and supernovae), black holes, dark matter and the origin of the omnipresent cosmic radiation.
In future, telescopes of three different types will be used at the observatories to scan the sky for interesting events. In addition to the large-size telescope (LST-1) with a mirror diameter of 23 meters, which has already been completed, three more instruments of the same type are being built on the Spanish island of La Palma. The MPP played a leading role in the development of this class of telescope and is now also leading the construction of the new LSTs, which will be completed and go into commissioning at the end of 2025.
In addition, nine medium-sized telescopes with a mirror diameter of 12 meters are being built on La Palma. In Chile, there will be a larger number of telescopes, including smaller versions for measuring radiation in the highest energy ranges. All three telescope classes are constructed by dedicated research consortia, which are supported and monitored by the CTAO consortium.
