Fluorescence light detection with the FAMOUS telescope

Abstract

The First Auger Multi-pixel photon counter camera for the Observation of Ultra-high-energy air-Showers (FAMOUS) is a telescope developed at the RWTH Aachen University in Germany. Its main goal is to measure photons produced in extensive air showers generated from the interaction of ultra high energy cosmic rays with the Earth's atmosphere. FAMOUS uses Silicon Photomultipliers as photodetection device instead of Photomultiplier tubes used by the fluorescence telescope in the Pierre Auger Observatory. The data acquisition system currently used by FA-MOUS is suitable to measure Cherenkov photons. Now we evaluate its capability to detect also fluorescence light which will give information about the energy and the arrival direction of the primary cosmic rays.