Cherenkov Detectors and Telescopes: Their Role in Fundamental Research

by Léonid Burmistrov (University of Geneva)

Wednesday 7 Oct 2026, 11:15 → 12:45 Europe/Zurich

Auditoire Stückelberg (Ecole de physique)

Cherenkov light has a unique set of properties that makes this physical phenomenon highly attractive for beam instrumentation, particle detection, and the development of both ground-based and space-based astroparticle telescopes. This talk will present applications of Cherenkov radiation in three areas of fundamental research. First, it will cover the Cherenkov detector for proton flux measurements installed in the primary vacuum of the SPS at CERN. Second, it will discuss the Aerogel Ring-Imaging Cherenkov (ARICH) particle identification detector, currently operating as part of the Belle II experiment at KEK. The talk will then focus on space-based and ground-based astroparticle telescopes. The Terzina space-based telescope, part of the NUSES mission scheduled for launch in 2027, is designed to detect Earth-skimming neutrinos and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays through their interactions in the atmosphere. Finally, the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) will be presented, with particular emphasis on the Large-Sized Telescopes (LSTs), which form the core of the observatory and are designed to detect gamma rays with energies as low as 20 GeV, representing a world-record low energy threshold. Overall, these examples demonstrate the versatility of Cherenkov detectors and telescopes and their important role in advancing fundamental research across particle physics and astroparticle physics.