The structure monitoring of the MST prototype of CTA

Victor Barbosa Martins; Markus Garczarczyk

doi:10.1117/12.2560930

13 December 2020 The structure monitoring of the MST prototype of CTA

Victor Barbosa Martins, Markus Garczarczyk

Proceedings Volume 11445, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes VIII; 114456E (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2560930
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2020, Online Only

Conference Poster

Abstract

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next generation of ground-based gamma-ray observatory. The observatory will consist of two arrays, one located in the southern hemisphere (Paranal, Chile) and the other in the northern hemisphere (Canary Island, Spain), covering the whole sky in the range of observation. More than 100 telescopes are planned to be in operation for as long as 30 years, which motivated the development of a continuous condition monitoring of the individual telescopes. The main goal of the monitoring is to detect degradation and failures before critical damages occur. Two approaches are considered: the structure monitoring system, in which the Eigenfrequencies of the telescope and their damping rates are measured and monitored; and the drive monitoring, in which the power spectra of rotating components are measured during telescope movements. The structure monitoring concept system was applied to the prototype Medium Size telescope (MST) prototype of CTA in Berlin during late 2018 and in 2019, and the first results are presented here. The system showed reasonable stability during periods, in which the telescope structure was unchanged. The system was also capable to detect mechanical changes, e.g. varying tension in the steel ropes of the camera support structure. The successful implementation of the structure monitoring system supports the decision of implementing the system in all future MSTs.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Victor Barbosa Martins and Markus Garczarczyk "The structure monitoring of the MST prototype of CTA", Proc. SPIE 11445, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes VIII, 114456E (13 December 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2560930

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