F. Aharonian et al., ON THE OPTIMIZATION OF MULTICHANNEL CAMERAS FOR IMAGING ATMOSPHERIC CHERENKOV TELESCOPES, Journal of physics. G, Nuclear and particle physics, 21(7), 1995, pp. 985-993
The optimization of the pixel size and of the field of view of the mul
tichannel cameras of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov gamma-ray telescope
s is discussed using the minimum distortion of the Cherenkov light ima
ges as a basic criterion. The parameters defining the shape of the Che
renkov image in the second-moment approach can already be properly det
ermined using a pixel size similar or equal to 0.25 degrees. The orien
tation of the image is more sensitive to the pixel size; thus, the opt
imal determination of orientation parameters requires a reduction of t
he pixel size to similar or equal to: 0.15 degrees. For observations o
f point gamma-ray sources the field of view of the imaging camera shou
ld not be significantly less than 4 degrees. To study moderately exten
ded sources and sources whose positions are only known within similar
or equal to: 1 degrees (like many EGRET gamma-ray sources) a camera wi
th field of view greater than or equal to 5 degrees is required.