The POEMMA-Balloon with Radio (PBR) mission is a NASA super-pressure balloon experiment designed to advance the detection of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, high-altitude horizontal air showers, and astrophysical neutrinos. A key instrument of PBR is the Cherenkov Camera (CC), which utilizes a 2048-pixel SiPM camera to detect the optical Cherenkov emission from cosmic-ray-induced air showers and search for upward-going signals indicative of neutrinos. The CC operates in the 320–900 nm spectral range with a 10 ns integration time, leveraging a bi-focal optical design to enhance detection efficiency. The CC enables precise reconstruction of shower trajectories and provides valuable data on cosmic rays’ composition and energy distribution. PBR’s sub-orbital altitude is particularly advantageous for these measurements, offering a unique vantage point that bridges the observational gap between ground-based and space-based instruments. Additionally, the CC will play a critical role in neutrino searches, detecting tau-lepton decay showers from Earth-skimming neutrinos associated with astrophysical transients. By integrating the CC with fluorescence and radio detection systems, PBR will pioneer a multi-messenger approach to high-energy cosmic phenomena, refining observational techniques for future space-based missions. This contribution will describe the current status of the development of the CC as well as its expected performance.

The Cherenkov Camera for the PBR mission / Abdullahi, M.; Abrate, M.; Adams, J. H.; Allard, D.; Alldredge, P.; Aloisio, R.; Ammendola, R.; Anastasio, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andreoli, V.; Anzalone, A.; Arnone, E.; Badoni, D.; Von Ballmoos, P.; Baret, B.; Barghini, D.; Battisti, M.; Bellotti, R.; Belov, A. A.; Bertaina, M.; Betts, M.; Biermann, P.; Bisconti, F.; Blin-Bondil, S.; Boezio, M.; Bowaire, A. N.; Buckland, I.; Burmistrov, L.; Burton-Heibges, J.; Cafagna, F.; Campana, D.; Capel, F.; Caraca, J.; Caruso, R.; Casolino, M.; Cassardo, C.; Castellina, A.; Cerny, K.; Conti, L.; Coretti, A. G.; Cremonini, R.; Creusot, A.; Cummings, A.; Davarpanah, S.; De Santis, C.; De La Taille, C.; Di Giovanni, A.; Di Salvo, A.; Ebisuzaki, T.; Eser, J.; Fenu, F.; Ferrarese, S.; Filippatos, G.; Finch, W. W.; Fornaro, C.; Fuglesang, C.; Galvez Molina, P.; Garbolino, S.; Garg, D.; Gardiol, D.; Garipov, G. K.; Golzio, A.; Guepin, C.; Haungs, A.; Heibges, T.; Isgro, F.; Iuppa, R.; Judd, E. G.; Kajino, F.; Kupari, L.; Kim, S. -W.; Klimov, P. A.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Krizmanic, J. F.; Lesrel, J.; Liberatori, F.; Lima, H. P.; M'Sihid, E.; Mandat, D.; Manfrin, M.; Marcelli, A.; Marcelli, L.; Marszal, W.; Masciantonio, G.; Masone, V.; Matthews, J. N.; Mayotte, E.; Meli, A.; Mese, M.; Meyer, S. S.; Mignone, M.; Miller, M.; Miyamoto, H.; Montaruli, T.; Moses, J.; Munini, R.; Nathan, C.; Neronov, A.; Nicolaidis, R.; Nonaka, T.; Mongelli, M.; Novikov, A.; Nozzoli, F.; Ogawa, T.; Ogio, S.; Ohmori, H.; Olinto, A. V.; Onel, Y.; Osteria, G.; Panico, B.; Parizot, E.; Passeggio, G.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Penalo Castillo, K.; Perfetto, F.; Perrone, L.; Petta, C.; Picozza, P.; Piotrowski, L. W.; Plebaniak, Z.; Prevot, G.; Przybylak, M.; Qureshi, H.; Reali, E.; Reno, M. H.; Reynaud, F.; Ricci, E.; Ricci, M.; Rivetti, A.; Sacca, G.; Sagawa, H.; Saprykin, O.; Sarazin, F.; Saraev, R. E.; Schovanek, P.; Scotti, V.; Sharakin, S. A.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Shinozaki, K.; Schroder, F.; Sotgiu, A.; Sparvoli, R.; Stillwell, B.; Szabelski, J.; Takeda, M.; Takizawa, Y.; Thomas, S. B.; Torres Saavedra, R. A.; Triggiani, R.; Trimarelli, C.; Trofimov, D. A.; Unger, M.; Venters, T. M.; Venugopal, M.; Vigorito, C.; Vrabel, M.; Wada, S.; Washington, D.; Weindl, A.; Wiencke, L.; Wilms, J.; Wissel, S.; Yashin, I. V.; Zotov, M. Yu.; Zuccon, P.. - In: POS PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENCE. - ISSN 1824-8039. - 501:(2025). ( 39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025 che 2025) [10.22323/1.501.0391].

The Cherenkov Camera for the PBR mission

Campana D.;Isgro F.;Mese M.;Panico B.;Perfetto F.;Scotti V.;Sparvoli R.;Triggiani R.;Vigorito C.;
2025

Abstract

The POEMMA-Balloon with Radio (PBR) mission is a NASA super-pressure balloon experiment designed to advance the detection of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, high-altitude horizontal air showers, and astrophysical neutrinos. A key instrument of PBR is the Cherenkov Camera (CC), which utilizes a 2048-pixel SiPM camera to detect the optical Cherenkov emission from cosmic-ray-induced air showers and search for upward-going signals indicative of neutrinos. The CC operates in the 320–900 nm spectral range with a 10 ns integration time, leveraging a bi-focal optical design to enhance detection efficiency. The CC enables precise reconstruction of shower trajectories and provides valuable data on cosmic rays’ composition and energy distribution. PBR’s sub-orbital altitude is particularly advantageous for these measurements, offering a unique vantage point that bridges the observational gap between ground-based and space-based instruments. Additionally, the CC will play a critical role in neutrino searches, detecting tau-lepton decay showers from Earth-skimming neutrinos associated with astrophysical transients. By integrating the CC with fluorescence and radio detection systems, PBR will pioneer a multi-messenger approach to high-energy cosmic phenomena, refining observational techniques for future space-based missions. This contribution will describe the current status of the development of the CC as well as its expected performance.
2025
The Cherenkov Camera for the PBR mission / Abdullahi, M.; Abrate, M.; Adams, J. H.; Allard, D.; Alldredge, P.; Aloisio, R.; Ammendola, R.; Anastasio, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andreoli, V.; Anzalone, A.; Arnone, E.; Badoni, D.; Von Ballmoos, P.; Baret, B.; Barghini, D.; Battisti, M.; Bellotti, R.; Belov, A. A.; Bertaina, M.; Betts, M.; Biermann, P.; Bisconti, F.; Blin-Bondil, S.; Boezio, M.; Bowaire, A. N.; Buckland, I.; Burmistrov, L.; Burton-Heibges, J.; Cafagna, F.; Campana, D.; Capel, F.; Caraca, J.; Caruso, R.; Casolino, M.; Cassardo, C.; Castellina, A.; Cerny, K.; Conti, L.; Coretti, A. G.; Cremonini, R.; Creusot, A.; Cummings, A.; Davarpanah, S.; De Santis, C.; De La Taille, C.; Di Giovanni, A.; Di Salvo, A.; Ebisuzaki, T.; Eser, J.; Fenu, F.; Ferrarese, S.; Filippatos, G.; Finch, W. W.; Fornaro, C.; Fuglesang, C.; Galvez Molina, P.; Garbolino, S.; Garg, D.; Gardiol, D.; Garipov, G. K.; Golzio, A.; Guepin, C.; Haungs, A.; Heibges, T.; Isgro, F.; Iuppa, R.; Judd, E. G.; Kajino, F.; Kupari, L.; Kim, S. -W.; Klimov, P. A.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Krizmanic, J. F.; Lesrel, J.; Liberatori, F.; Lima, H. P.; M'Sihid, E.; Mandat, D.; Manfrin, M.; Marcelli, A.; Marcelli, L.; Marszal, W.; Masciantonio, G.; Masone, V.; Matthews, J. N.; Mayotte, E.; Meli, A.; Mese, M.; Meyer, S. S.; Mignone, M.; Miller, M.; Miyamoto, H.; Montaruli, T.; Moses, J.; Munini, R.; Nathan, C.; Neronov, A.; Nicolaidis, R.; Nonaka, T.; Mongelli, M.; Novikov, A.; Nozzoli, F.; Ogawa, T.; Ogio, S.; Ohmori, H.; Olinto, A. V.; Onel, Y.; Osteria, G.; Panico, B.; Parizot, E.; Passeggio, G.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Penalo Castillo, K.; Perfetto, F.; Perrone, L.; Petta, C.; Picozza, P.; Piotrowski, L. W.; Plebaniak, Z.; Prevot, G.; Przybylak, M.; Qureshi, H.; Reali, E.; Reno, M. H.; Reynaud, F.; Ricci, E.; Ricci, M.; Rivetti, A.; Sacca, G.; Sagawa, H.; Saprykin, O.; Sarazin, F.; Saraev, R. E.; Schovanek, P.; Scotti, V.; Sharakin, S. A.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Shinozaki, K.; Schroder, F.; Sotgiu, A.; Sparvoli, R.; Stillwell, B.; Szabelski, J.; Takeda, M.; Takizawa, Y.; Thomas, S. B.; Torres Saavedra, R. A.; Triggiani, R.; Trimarelli, C.; Trofimov, D. A.; Unger, M.; Venters, T. M.; Venugopal, M.; Vigorito, C.; Vrabel, M.; Wada, S.; Washington, D.; Weindl, A.; Wiencke, L.; Wilms, J.; Wissel, S.; Yashin, I. V.; Zotov, M. Yu.; Zuccon, P.. - In: POS PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENCE. - ISSN 1824-8039. - 501:(2025). ( 39th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2025 che 2025) [10.22323/1.501.0391].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/1046492
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