Cherenkov light imaging in astro-particle physics

Abstract

Cherenkov light emission plays a key role in contemporary science; it is widely used in high energy, nuclear, and numerous astro-particle physics experiments. Most astro-particle physics experiments are based on the detection of light, and a vast majority of them on the measurement of Cherenkov light. Cherenkov light emission is measured in gases (used in air-Cherenkov technique), in water (for example, neutrino experiments BAIKAL, Super-Kamiokande, NESTOR, ANTARES, future KM3NeT; cosmic and γ-ray experiments Milagro, HAWC, AUGER) and in ice (IceCube). In this report our goal is not limited to simply listing the multitude of experiments that are based on using Cherenkov emission, but we will clarify the reasons making this emission so important and so frequently used. For completeness we will first give a short historical overview on the discovery and evolution of Cherenkov emission and then we will dwell on its main features and numerous applications in astro-particle physics experiments.