Powerful nanosecond light sources based on LEDs for astroparticle physics experiments

Powerful nanosecond light sources based on LEDs have been developed for use in astroparticle physics experiments. The light sources use either matrixes of ultra bright blue LEDs or a new generation high power blue LEDs. It's shown that such light sources have light yield of up to 10**10 - 10**12 photons per pulse with very fast light emission kinetics. The described light sources are important for use in calibration systems of Cherenkov and scintillator detectors. The developed light sources are currently used successfully in a number of astroparticle experiments, namely: the TUNKA EAS experiment, the Baikal neutrino experiment etc.