Hunting the redshifts for blazars: a database for CTA candidates

This site is dedicated to the redshift determination of gamma-ray blazars whose distance is unknown and which are good candidates for the next generation of ground-based Cherenkov telescopes (CTAO). It supports the Redshift Determination Group of the CTAO consortium. Sources are selected from blazars in Fermi-LAT catalogues that still lack redshift data. Their detectability with CTAO is evaluated via Monte Carlo simulations. This site provides access to a database containing useful information for determining the redshift of the selected sources: coordinates, counterparts, magnitudes, host properties, optical spectra, light curves, CTAO detectability, etc. It also includes the redshift status and is updated with new redshift results as soon as they become publicly available. We strive to ensure that the contents of the database are complete and accurate.

This database was conceived by Santiago Pita (APC/CNRS) and Paolo Goldoni (APC/IRFU), who are also responsible for its maintenance and updates. The software behind this project was initially developed by Antoine Boizard (APC engineer) with the support of the APC IT department, notably Françoise Vireux, Paul Zakharov, and Alexandre Boucaud. Paul Zakharov is currently responsible for technical development and implementation, overseeing maintenance, and future advancements.