This project - Preparation activities for a scheduler for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) astrophysical project- is being developed jointly with IEEC-CSIC Catalonian Institut for Space Studies & Higher Council for Scientific Research. Cosmic actors as supernova remnants, pulsars, micro-quasars, neutron stars, merging galaxies, etc. produce gammas-rays whose observation should permit to detect and study those. Gamma-rays (http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/gamma.html) have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of any other wave in the electromagnetic spectrum. When gamma-rays are reaching Earth, they interact with our atmosphere and generate a rain of electromagnetic particles. Only a part of them are able to pass through each atmosphere’s layer. These particles are contained within a light cone – named as Cherenkov light. In the last decade, the observation of these particles by last generation Cherenkov Telescopes like HESS, MAGIS or VERITAS have yet provided impressive results in astroparticle physics. These results have helped to fund and design the next generation of Cherenkov Telescopes: CTA, which stands for Cherenkov Telescope Array. This array of nearly 100 telescopes would be deployed over two large areas (one for each hemisphere) combining three different sizes of telescopes for detection of cosmic high–energy gamma rays that would guide us in the exploration of non-thermal processes in the universe. This project has been financed under the framework of the CDTI Industry of Science (IDC), comprising those organizations related to scientific instrumentation and facilities such as the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the Gran Telescopio de Canarias (GRANTECAN), ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA)… CTA is now a worldwide collaboration (Europe, USA, Japan, etc.) which huge project realization has been highly ranked by various organizations: it has been chosen as one of the eight project in the “Physical Sciences and Engineering” of the ESFRI roadmap It has been selected as one of the “Magnificent Seven” by ASPERA It has been included in the ASTRONET and ApPEC roadmaps After a Design Study Phase initially funded by FP7, CTA is now in a Preparatory Phase for which are working near of 500 physicians and engineers. Spain, through CDTI, is funding GTD (more than 20 years of successful experience in space industry) and IEEC (an active member of CTA consortium) for the study of the realization of the scheduler for the CTA. Scheduler’s main objective is to plan and manage the each of these telescopes configurations. In this project, we will: Describe the scheduler’s requirements Evaluate state of art for scheduling and choose the best solution Improve our knowledge of the ALMA Common Software Refine requirements and define the scheduler’s design Implement a demonstration case By mid-2012, GTD and IEEC investments would permit them to propose an innovative scheduling solution which would match with the beginnings of the CTA construction and a new era in radio astronomy.
