Very-High Energy (VHE) gamma-ray astroparticle physics is a relatively young field, and observations over the past decade have surprisingly revealed almost two hundred VHE emitters which appear to act as cosmic particle accelerators. These sources are an important component of the Universe, influencing the evolution of stars and galaxies. At the same time, they also act as a probe of physics in the most extreme environments known -such as in supernova explosions, and around or after the merging of black holes and neutron stars. However, the existing experiments have provided exciting glimpses, but often falling short of supplying the full answer. A deeper understanding of the TeV sky requires a significant improvement in sensitivity at TeV energies, a wider energy coverage from tens of GeV to hundreds of TeV and a much better angular and energy resolution with respect to the currently running facilities. The next generation gamma-ray observatory, the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), is the answer to this need. In this talk I will present this upcoming observatory from its design to the construction, and its potential science exploitation. CTAO will allow the entire astronomical community to explore a new discovery space that will likely lead to paradigm-changing breakthroughs. In particular, CTA has an unprecedented sensitivity to short (sub-minute) timescale phenomena, placing it as a key instrument in the future of multi-messenger and multi-wavelength time domain astronomy. I will conclude the talk presenting the first scientific results obtained by the LST-1, the prototype of one CTA telescope type -the Large Sized Telescope, that is currently under commission.

A portable instrument for two-dimensional X-ray fluorescence imaging was assembled with an X-ray source using a pyroelectric crystal, which was driven by a 9-V dry battery, a Si-PIN detector, a slit, and pulse motors. Line scanning for a mug and a knife-edge-scan of an iron sheet were carried out using this spectrometer. The sensitivity of the spectrometer was sufficient for elemental analysis of a mug using a 1 mm 2 slit, and several elements, such as Co, Ni, Zn, Pb and Zr, were detected. The estimated spatial resolution using a 0.8-mm pinhole was 3.5 mm.

Lα and Lβ X-ray fluorescence spectra of a lead metallic sheet were measured using an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer by changing the X-ray tube voltage and the material of the primary filter. The Lα to Lβ intensity ratio changed from Lα: Lβ = 3: 1 at 15 kV to Lα: Lβ = 1: 1 at 50 kV depending on the X-ray tube voltage and the filter. The scattered X-ray spectra of an acrylic slab instead of the sample in the sample holder were measured by changing the applied voltage and the material of the primary filter. The calculated values of the Pb Lα/Lβ intensity ratio of the metallic sheet using the Shiraiwa-Fujino formula by inserting the scattered X-ray spectra of an acrylic plate as incident X-ray spectra and the fundamental parameters taken from the Elam database were in good agreement with the experimental ones. We conclude that we can obtain an incident X-ray spectrum approximately by measuring the scattered X-ray spectrum without measuring the direct incident beam.

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