INDIA CONTRIBUTING FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD SCIENCE:Gamma ray Telescope Getting Ready in Leh

INDIA CONTRIBUTING FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD SCIENCE

Gamma ray Telescope Getting Ready in Leh

India is setting up a special facility here to boost global efforts in unrevelling the mysterios  surrounding the nature of normal and dark matter in universe. The Banglore based Indian Institute of Astrophysics(IIA),along with the Mumbai based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC) and several other national institutions, is setting up a telescope with a 21-meter diameter collector, which will collect  the gamma ray s will help Astrophysicists in better understanding of different types of matter in the universe.

The gamma rays highly energy processes in the universe.Their study will help the nation in understanding the high energy physics close to the black holes, compacts objects,dark matter and high gravitational fields which will then be shared with the world other similar scientific projects.Cerenkov Experiment (MACE)facility,the observatory in Hanle-Leh will be the only such one in the eastern hemisphere , and at an altitude of 4300 meter above the mean sea level.The facility next to the IIA’s Himalayan Chandra Telescope(HCT), which was set up about a decade ago. The HCT become functional in 2001 and is operated from Banglore through a settelite based communication link.This telescope has already helped in discovery in three galaxies with super massive black-holes, and several new variable stars in our galaxy, other things.

The effort to stablish the MACE facility is being led by the BARC , in collaboration with the Tata institute of Fundamental Research,Mumbai,and Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics,Kolkata.It is astimated cost about  Rs.40 carore and is expected to be ready by dec.2012.The technical feasibility of the high altitude for atmospheric Cerenkov detectors  was proved by the IIA and the TIFR by setting up a smaller ffacility –high altitude gama ray (HAGAR) experiment in 2008 .

Reason for choice of the place-a)High altitude and dry weather” b)has an annual precipitation of less than 7cm