Study of the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays

该小组提出了一项研究计划，涉及与犹他州的雇用宇宙射线项目和ASPIRE K-12扩展计划的合作，该计划将扩展到蒙大拿州。HiRes实验旨在研究高能神秘的宇宙射线。对这些能量超过Greisen-Zetsepin-Kuz‘min截止线的宇宙射线的观察，使许多人假设某些基本过程可能是导致粒子具有非凡能量的原因。在NSF的支持下，苍蝇眼第一次也是最令人信服地观测到了神秘的宇宙射线中的最高能量。苍蝇眼的继任者HiRes现在正在运营中。Aspire项目(整合研究和教育的天体物理科学项目)是NSF支持的一个扩展项目，涉及雇用科学家、K-12教师、州教育行政人员、教育专家和程序员。该项目的目标是通过利用交互式的、面向探究的、基于网络的技术，将基础天体物理研究中的最新发现注入日常科学课程和实验室。该项目是NSF将研究与教育相结合的倡议的一个例子。

This group proposes a research program involving collaboration with the HiRes cosmic ray project in Utah, and the ASPIRE K-12 outreach program which will expand to Montana. The HiRes experiment is designed to study high-energy enigmatic cosmic rays. The observation of these cosmic rays whose energy exceeded the Greisen-Zetsepin-Kuz'min cut-off led many to postulate that some fundamental processes may be responsible for particles of extraordinary energy. Fly's Eye, supported by NSF, made the first and the most convincing observation of the highest energy of the enigmatic cosmic rays. HiRes, the successor of Fly's Eye, is now in operation. The Aspire Project (Astrophysics Science Project Integrating Research and Education) is an NSF supported outreach project involving HiRes scientists, K-12 teachers, state education administrators, education specialists, and programmers. The goal of this project is to infuse recent discoveries made in fundamental astrophysics research into everyday science lessons and laboratories by utilizing interactive, inquiry-oriented, web-based technology.This project is an example of the NSF initiative of integrating research and education.