Design study of an air-Cherenkov telescope for harsh environments with\n efficient air-shower detection at 100 TeV

Telescopes, designed with semi-conductor based photo sensors, have the\npotential to detect Cherenkov or fluorescence light emitted by cosmic-rays in\nthe atmosphere. Such telescopes promise a high duty cycle and efficiency in\nremote harsh environments. Given the relatively low costs and robustness of\nthese instruments, this technology could prove interesting especially if\ndeployed in large numbers with existing and future extended cosmic-ray and\ngamma ray detectors, including the Pierre Auger observatory, HAWC, IceCube and\nCTA. They may have the potential to enhance the sensitivity of these\ninstruments for the detection of high-energy gamma rays and cosmic-ray air\nshowers. In addition, for neutrino telescopes such a technology could prove to\nbe an efficient cosmic-ray veto on the surface. In this contribution the\ncurrent motivation, design, and development of a prototype SiPM based air\nCherenkov telescope is described. The results of initial sensitivity studies,\nand the readiness of the system for first tests, including those proposed for\nthe South Pole are shown.\n