FAST

2014年にアメリカユタ州にあるテレスコープアレイ実験サイトで行った、2枚のフレネルレンズの光学系の焦点面に8インチの光電子増倍管を設置したFAST試作機による観測結果がAstroparticle Physcisから出版されました。
この論文では紫外線垂直レーザーの観測、極高エネルギー宇宙線から生成された16事象の空気シャワーの観測結果を報告しています。

The R&D results of FAST prototpye measured in the Telescope Array site have been published in the Astroaprticle Physics.

"Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic ray showers with a single-pixel fluorescence telescope"

Abstract
We present a concept for large-area, low-cost detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with a Fluorescence detector Array of Single-pixel Telescopes (FAST), addressing the requirements for the next gen- eration of UHECR experiments. In the FAST design, a large field of view is covered by a few pixels at the focal plane of a mirror or Fresnel lens. We report first results of a FAST prototype installed at the Telescope Array site, consisting of a single 200 mm photomultiplier tube at the focal plane of a 1 m2 Fresnel lens system taken from the prototype of the JEM-EUSO experiment. The FAST prototype took data for 19 nights, demonstrat- ing remarkable operational stability. We detected laser shots at distances of several kilometers as well as 16 highly significant UHECR shower candidates.