The ASTRI Mini-Array and its Science

The ASTRI Collaboration is building at the Teide Astronomical Observatory in Tenerife an array of 9 small Cherenkov telescopes capable of observing with good flux sensitivity, energy and angular resolution the gamma-ray sky above an energy threshold of several hundreds of GeV. The ASTRI telescopes adopt a dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder optical design. Entrapped amidst the two mirrors the ASTRI camera, based on silicon photon-multipliers detectors, encompasses a wide field-of-view (∼10 deg in diameter) across its convex focal plane. This system provides a good gamma-ray sensitivity also at gamma-ray energies above 100 TeV and large off-axis angles (up to ~5 degrees), combined with a good angular resolution across the whole field-of-view. The scientific goals of the ASTRI Mini-Array include spectral and morphological characterization of the LHAASO sources and other Pevatron candidates, studies of PWNe and TeV halos, blazar monitoring at VHE, fundamental physics and follow-up of transient events. The beginning of the scientific operations is planned for early 2025. The first 3 years will be dedicated to the core science and the ASTRI Mini-Array will be run as an experiment. During the following years it will gradually move towards an observatory model, open to the community.