Particle Astrophysics with VERITAS and Defining Scientific Horizons for CTA

由于地面伽马射线望远镜的发现，高能粒子天体物理学领域在过去十年中取得了显着进展。这些仪器现在已经探测到了非常高能量的伽马辐射(能量超过100千兆电子伏特(GeV))，这些辐射来自从脉冲星到blazar和星暴星系的各种目标。对这些来源的详细测量探索了宇宙中最具能量的现象。地面天文台Veritas是位于亚利桑那州的四个12米成像大气切伦科夫望远镜的阵列。Veritas现在已经达到了比上一代仪器高出一个数量级以上的灵敏度水平，由于最近完成了升级，现在已经将其灵敏度范围扩大到100GeV以下的能量。Veritas正在产生丰富的科学知识。这一奖项将支持加州大学洛杉矶分校的科学家们从事Veritas科学工作，并为下一代国际地面伽马射线天文台切伦科夫望远镜阵列(CTA)进行科学预测。加州大学洛杉矶分校在VERITAS建设、为实验开发分析和模拟软件以及迄今报告的科学结果的产生中发挥了重要作用。有了这个奖项，加州大学洛杉矶分校的团队将专注于维护Veritas，分析数据，产生科学结果，并为CTA定义科学目标。更广泛的影响：加州大学洛杉矶分校的小组支持Veritas教育和公共外联计划，并帮助制定了该计划。该项目在惠普尔天文台游客中心接触到当地观众，在阿德勒天文馆接触到博物馆观众，并通过Veritas教育网站接触到普通公众。加州大学洛杉矶分校的科学家们在Veritas遗址进行参观，并帮助向公众提供材料。Veritas和CTA材料将用于加州大学洛杉矶分校涉及洛杉矶地区学校的当地活动。此外，加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员通过公开演讲、天文馆表演和个别学生指导参与教育和外展工作。

The field of high-energy particle astrophysics has advanced significantly during the last decade as a result of discoveries made by ground-based gamma-ray telescopes. These instruments have now detected very high-energy gamma-radiation (energies above 100 gigaelectronvolt (GeV)) from classes of objecting ranging from pulsars to blazars and starburst galaxies. Detailed measurements of these sources probe the most energetic phenomena in the Universe. The ground-based observatory VERITAS is an array of four 12-meter imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes located in Arizona. VERITAS has now reached a sensitivity level more than an order of magnitude better than the previous generation of instruments and, as a result of its recently completed upgrade, has now extended its sensitivity range to energies below 100 GeV. VERITAS is producing a wealth of scientific knowledge.This award will support scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles working on VERITAS science and on the scientific projections for the next generation international ground-based gamma-ray observatory, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA.) UCLA has played a major role in the VERITAS construction, in the development of analysis and simulation software for the experiment, and in the production of the scientific results reported to date. With this award the UCLA group will focus on maintaining VERITAS, analyzing data, producing scientific results, and defining science goals for CTA. Broader Impacts: The UCLA group supports the VERITAS Education and Public Outreach program, which it helped to develop. The program reaches local audiences at the Whipple Observatory Visitor's Center, museum audiences at the Adler Planetarium, and the general public through the VERITAS education web site. UCLA scientists conduct tours at the VERITAS site and help to provide materials for the public. VERITAS and CTA materials will be used for local activities at UCLA involving schools in the Los Angeles area. In addition, researchers at UCLA are involved in education and outreach efforts through public speaking, planetarium shows, and individual student mentorship.