Abstract
A deep survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud at ~0.1-100TeV photon energies
with the Cherenkov Telescope Array is planned. We assess the detection
prospects based on a model for the emission of the galaxy, comprising the four
known TeV emitters, mock populations of sources, and interstellar emission on
galactic scales. We also assess the detectability of 30 Doradus and SN 1987A,
and the constraints that can be derived on the nature of dark matter. The
survey will allow for fine spectral studies of N157B, N132D, LMC P3, and 30
Doradus C, and half a dozen other sources should be revealed, mainly
pulsar-powered objects. The remnant from SN 1987A could be detected if it
produces cosmic-ray nuclei with a flat power-law spectrum at high energies, or
with a steeper index 2.3-2.4 pending a flux increase by a factor >3-4 over
~2015-2035. Large-scale interstellar emission remains mostly out of reach of
the survey if its >10GeV spectrum has a soft photon index ~2.7, but
degree-scale 0.1-10TeV pion-decay emission could be detected if the cosmic-ray
spectrum hardens above >100GeV. The 30 Doradus star-forming region is
detectable if acceleration efficiency is on the order of 1-10% of the
mechanical luminosity and diffusion is suppressed by two orders of magnitude
within <100pc. Finally, the survey could probe the canonical velocity-averaged
cross section for self-annihilation of weakly interacting massive particles for
cuspy Navarro-Frenk-White profiles.