Atmospheric monitor for Telescope Array experiment

¹ RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
² Research Institute for Science and Technology, Kinki University, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan
³ Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582, Japan
⁴ Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, Mechanical Systems Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
⁵ Institute for High Energy Astrophysics and Department of Physics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0830, USA
⁶ Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi, Osaka 558-8585, Japan
⁷ Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
⁸ Kanagawa University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 221-8686, Japan

^a e-mail: ttomida@riken.jp

Abstract

The atmospheric monitoring is very important for the observation of air shower by air fluorescence technique.

In the Telescope Array (TA) experiment, LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) system and CLF (Central Laser Facility) system have been used for the measurement of atmospheric transparency. The LIDAR system is located in the southeast of TA site. The CLF is located in the center of the TA site. The usefulness of the CLF and LIDAR systems is demonstrated by analyzing the time variation of atmospheric transparency with the systems. The two atmospheric monitor systems are complementary. Therefore, monitoring efficiency is advanced by a new LIDAR system that was installed at CLF system.

Clouds are observed with CCD camera, IR camera and eye scan visual check. In addition, we have also measured atmospheric parameters at the ground level using several weather systems.