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

这是在南极站开发和操作空中切伦科夫望远镜项目的延续，目的是研究非常高能（VHE）伽马射线的离散天体物理源。这个项目被称为南极伽马射线天文学（GASP）。主要仪器由一组抛物面镜组成，聚焦处有光电倍增管，可以探测到大气中一小部分VHE相互作用产生的光。该实验有望揭示宇宙射线的起源，并可能揭示奇异辐射的来源，如果这种辐射存在的话。GASP补充了由特拉华大学Bartol研究所和利兹大学（英国）运营的现有南极气阵雨实验（SPASE），并将SPASE的能量阈值向下扩展了两到三个数量级。SPASE可以调查大部分南部天空，而GASP将能够关注可疑活动的小区域。在南极的位置，GASP可以在恒定厚度的大气中观察一个物体很长一段时间（几周到几个月），而在中纬度的位置，一个给定的物体一次只能观察几个小时。极地的位置也意味着非常有趣的高赤纬南部天空总是在视野之内，这给GASP一个巨大的优势比任何中纬度天文台。该项目是威斯康星大学、普渡大学和史密森天体物理天文台的合作项目。它是由美国国家科学基金会极地项目办公室和史密森天体物理天文台共同资助的。

This is a continuation of a project to develop and operate air Cherenkov telescopes at South Pole Station for the purpose of studying discreet astrophysical sources of very high energy (VHE) gamma rays. The project is called Gamma-ray Astronomy at South Pole (GASP). The primary instrument consists 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 is expected to shed light on the origin of cosmic rays and possibly on sources of exotic radiation, if such radiation exists. GASP complements the pre-existing South Pole Air Shower Experiment (SPASE), which is operated by the Bartol Research Institute of the University of Delaware and Leeds University (UK), and extends downward by two to three orders of magnitude the energy threshold of SPASE. SPASE can survey most of the southern sky, and GASP will be able to focus on small regions of suspected activity. The location at South Pole allows GASP to view a single object for extended periods (weeks to months) through a constant thickness of atmosphere, while mid-latitude locations allow only a few hours of viewing at a time of a given object. The Polar location also means that the very interesting high declination southern sky is always within view, which gives GASP a great advantage over any mid- latitude observatory. The project is a collaboration of the University of Wisconsin, Purdue University and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. It is jointly funded by NSF's Office of Polar Programs and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.