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

这是一个项目的延续，开发和经营空气 南极站的切伦科夫望远镜用于 研究离散的天体物理甚高能量源（VHE） 伽马射线 这个项目被称为南加州大学的伽马射线天文学 极（GASP）。 主要仪器由一系列 抛物面镜，在其焦点处有光电倍增管， 可以检测来自VHE相互作用的光， 气氛 这项实验有望揭示 宇宙射线和可能的外来辐射源，如果这种 辐射存在。 GASP补充了先前存在的南极空气簇射实验 （SPASE），由巴托尔研究所运营， 特拉华州大学和利兹大学（英国），并延伸到 将能量阈值降低两到三个数量级 的空间。 SPASE可以调查南部天空的大部分，GASP将 能够专注于可疑活动的小区域。 南极的位置允许GASP查看单个对象， 延长的时间（数周至数月）， 大气层，而中纬度地区只允许几个小时的 在给定对象的时间查看。 极地的位置也意味着 非常有趣的南方高空的天空 这使GASP比任何中型企业都有很大的优势。 纬度观测站 该项目是威斯康星州大学的合作项目， 普渡大学和史密森天体物理天文台。 它是由NSF的极地项目办公室和 史密森天体物理观测站。

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.