Observation of Very High Energy Gamma Ray Sources from the South Pole

该项目将开发和操作一个空气切伦科夫望远镜 (ACT)在南极考察站， 极高能伽马射线（VHE）的天体物理来源。 的 仪器将由抛物面镜阵列组成， 光电倍增管在他们的焦点，这可以检测光从 小体积大气中的VHE相互作用。 的 实验将揭示宇宙射线的起源， 可能是外来辐射源，如果这种辐射存在。 ACT将补充现有的南极空气淋浴实验 （SPASE），并向下延伸两到三个数量级 空间的能量阈值。 SPASE可以调查大部分的 南部天空，ACT将能够专注于小区域， 可疑活动。 在南极的位置将允许ACT查看单个对象 通过一个常数， 大气层厚度，而中纬度地区只允许 几个小时的时间观看一个给定的对象。 以来 大气层是探测器，通过大气层观察的重要性 不能过分强调恒定厚度。 该项目是威斯康星州大学的合作项目， 普渡大学、哥伦比亚大学、巴托尔研究所 特拉华州大学史密森天体物理学系 天文台和佛罗伦萨大学（佛罗伦萨，意大利）。 它 由美国国家科学基金会极地项目和物理部门联合资助， 意大利南极计划，威斯康星州校友研究 史密森天体物理观测站（Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory）。

This project will develop and operate an Air Cherenkov Telescope (ACT) at South Pole Station for the purpose of studying discreet astrophysical sources of very high energy (VHE) gamma rays. The instrument will consist of an array of parabolic mirrors, with photomultiplier tubes at their foci, which can detect light from VHE interactions in a small volume of the atmosphere. The experiment will shed light on the origin of cosmic rays and possibly on sources of exotic radiation, if such radiation exists. ACT will complement the existing South Pole Air Shower Experiment (SPASE), and extend downward by two to three orders of magnitude the energy threshold of SPACE. SPASE can survey most of the southern sky, and ACT will be able to focus on small regions of suspected activity. The location at South Pole will allow ACT to view a single object for extended periods (weeks to months) through a constant thickness os atmosphere, while mid-latitude locations allow only a few hours of viewing at a time of a given object. Since the atmosphere is the detector, the importance of viewing through a constant thickness cannot be over emphasized. The project is a collaboration of the University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, Columbia University, Bartol Research Institute of the University of Delaware, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the University of Florence (Firenze, Italy). It is jointly funded by NSF's Division of Polar Programs and Physics, the Italian Antarctic Program, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.