The TAIGA-a Hybrid Detector Complex in Tunka Valley for Astroparticle Physics, Cosmic Ray Physics and Gamma-Ray Astronomy

The physical motivations and performance of the TAIGA (Tunka Advanced Instrument for cosmic ray physics and Gamma Astronomy) project are presented. The TAIGA observatory addresses ground-based gamma-ray astronomy at energies from a few TeV to several PeV, as well as cosmic ray physics from 100 TeV to several EeV and astroparticle physics. The pilot TAIGA-1 complex locates in the Tunka valley, similar to 50 km West from the southern tip of the lake Baikal. It includes integrated air Cherenkov TAIGA-HiSCOREarray with 120 wide-angle optical stations distributed over on area 1.1 square kilometer about and three 4-m class Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes of the TAIGA-IACT array. The latter array has a shape of triangle with side lengths of about 300, 400 and 500 m. The integral sensitivity of the 1-km(2) TAIGA-1 detector is about 2.5 x 10(-13) TeV cm(-2) s(-1) for detection of E >= 100 TeV gammarays in 300 hours of source observations. The combination of the wide-angle Cherenkov array and IACTs could offer a cost effective-way to build a large (up to 10 km(2)) array for very high energy gamma-ray astronomy. The reconstruction of a given EAS energy, incoming direction, and the core position, based on the TAIGA-HiSCORE data, allows one to increase the distance between the relatively expensive IACTs up to 600-800 m. These, together with the surface and underground electron/Muon detectors, will be used for selection of gamma-ray-induced EAS. Present status of the project, together with the current array description, the first experimental results and plans for the future are reported.