Speaker
Description
The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) is the upcoming next-generation ground-based gamma-ray observatory. The CTAO will achieve superior sensitivity, angular, and spectral resolution over a broader energy range (tens of GeV to hundreds of TeV) compared to currently operating imaging air Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). Full-sky coverage will be achieved with two IACT arrays in the northern and southern hemisphere, featuring three different telescope sizes. The CTAO will address a plethora of science questions including how particles are accelerated in extreme environments and what is the nature of dark matter (and in general the search for physics beyond the Standard Model). This talk will outline this broad science potential and provide the current status and timeline of the CTAO.
