Collaborative Research: SNEWS: The SuperNova Early Warning System

在世界范围内，目前正在运行的几个探测器对银河系中快速坍缩的超新星中微子信号很敏感。超新星中微子早期预警系统（SNEWS）系统将利用这些探测器发出的中微子信号的巧合，为天文学界提供超新星发生的高可信度早期预警。这个警报利用了中微子信号在冲击波爆发前的几个小时的提前时间，从而产生了爆炸的第一个光学信号。SNEWS警报也可以作为探测器（例如引力波探测器）的触发器，这些探测器可能无法自己触发超新星信号，从而允许保存额外的数据。对即将到来的星系超新星的早期预警将最大限度地提高对附近超新星的早期电磁观测的机会，这是一种以前未被观测到的现象。此外，SNEWS合作旨在通过参与中微子实验之间的停机协调等活动来优化超新星中微子的全球灵敏度。SNEWS自1998年开始运行，自2005年以来一直以全自动模式运行，正常运行时间接近100%。该奖项将提供资金，以保持对超新星的准备，并进一步扩大与天文学界的联系。更广泛的影响：SNEWS提供了巨大的教育和推广机会。它在让物理学本科生和研究生参与项目方面有着良好的记录。此外，非常重要的是，业余天文学家团体是早期预警系统的一个组成部分。业余天文学家技术娴熟，热情高涨，具有广角观测能力，遍布全球。来自中微子信号的提示指向信息很可能不足以引导更大的望远镜，而且超新星的位置也不是不可能首先由业余爱好者确定。很少有节目像SNEWS这样为公众提供为科学做出真正重大贡献的机会。

World-wide, several currently running detectors are sensitive to a prompt core collapse supernova neutrino signal in the Galaxy. The Supernova Neutrino Early Warning System (SNEWS) system will provide a high-confidence early warning of a supernovas occurrence to the astronomical community using a coincidence of neutrino signals from these detectors. This alert exploits the prompt neutrino signal's several-hour lead time over the shock breakout which produces the first optical signs of the explosion. The SNEWS alert may also be able to serve as a trigger for detectors (e.g. gravitational wave detectors) which might not able to trigger on a supernova signal by themselves, allowing extra data to be saved. Early warning of an impending galactic supernova will maximize the chances of very early electromagnetic observations of a nearby supernova, a previously unobserved phenomenon. In addition, the SNEWS collaboration aims to optimize global sensitivity to supernova neutrinos via such activities as downtime coordination amongst the participating neutrino experiments. SNEWS has been operational since 1998, and has been running in a fully-automated mode since 2005 with near-100% up-time. This award will provide funds to maintain preparedness for a supernova and to further expand connections to the astronomical community.Broader Impacts: SNEWS provides tremendous educational and outreach opportunities. It has an excellent track record of involving undergraduate and graduate physics students in the project. Additionally and very importantly, the amateur astronomer community is an integral part of the early warning system. Amateur astronomers are skilled and enthusiastic, have wide angle viewing capabilities and are widespread around the globe. The prompt pointing information from the neutrino signal may well be insufficient to guide larger telescopes, and it is not unlikely that the location of a supernova will be first pinpointed by an amateur. Few programs offer to the general public the chance of making a really significant contribution to science, as SNEWS does.