Telescope Array Operations and Data Analysis by the University of Utah Cosmic Ray Group

犹他大学宇宙射线小组的望远镜阵列操作和数据分析

• 批准号: 1404502
• 负责人: Gordon Thomson
• 金额: $ 210.46万
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404502&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Telescope; Array; Operations; Data; Analysis

The Telescope Array (TA) is the largest detector for ultrahigh energy cosmic rays in the northern hemisphere. The nature of cosmic rays sources and the mechanism that accelerate cosmic rays to ultrahigh energies are among the most interesting open questions in astrophysics. The primary objectives of the TA experiment are to measure the energy and spatial distributions, and the chemical composition of the highest energy cosmic rays in order to address these outstanding questions. The University of Utah is the host institution for TA, and the cosmic ray physics group plays critical roles in the design, integration, deployment, operation, and management of TA. These include: (a) Facility and detector maintenance; (b) Provision of staff for observing shifts; (c) Data handling; (d) Simulation and analysis; (e) Maintaining compliance with Bureau of Land Management regulations. With this award the University of Utah group will continue the operation of the TA experiment for three more years. The TA facilities host a number of auxiliary projects and provide testbeds for detector characterization. The Astrophysics Science Project Integrating Research and Education (ASPIRE) is the project's major outreach activity. ASPIRE has created engaging interactive science lessons and labs on the Internet. ASPIRE also provides direct outreach to area teachers, students, and the public.The TA experiment comprises a Surface Detector array of 507 scintillation counters deployed over 730 square kilometers in the western Utah desert. Three Fluorescence Detector stations look inward over the air space above the Surface Detector from the edge of the array. The four years of data collected between 2013 and 2017 will double the total exposure of TA. The specific physics objectives of continued operation will be to (a) seek evidence for Large Scale Structure correlation and for clustering of arrival directions of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays in the new independent data set, testing the signals uncovered in the first five years; (b) make precise measurement of the spectrum in the region of the GZK cut-off in order to differentiate between competing models for the high energy spectral break, and (c) complete the measurement of composition at the highest energies, including the analysis of the width and shape of the shower maximum depth distributions with statistical precision comparable to the Pierre Auger Observatory result. In addition, TA is adding a low energy extension (TALE). TALE observations will share personnel and facilities with TA, and will make hybrid measurement of the energy spectrum and composition of cosmic rays in the energy region where the galactic to extragalactic transition is suspected to occur.

望远镜阵列(TA)是北半球最大的超高能宇宙射线探测器。宇宙射线源的性质和将宇宙射线加速到超高能量的机制是天体物理学中最有趣的开放问题之一。TA实验的主要目标是测量能量和空间分布，以及最高能量宇宙线的化学成分，以解决这些悬而未决的问题。犹他大学是TA的主办机构，宇宙线物理组在TA的设计、集成、部署、运行和管理中发挥着关键作用。这包括：(A)设施和探测器维护；(B)提供值班工作人员；(C)数据处理；(D)模拟和分析；(E)保持遵守土地管理局的条例。有了这一奖项，犹他大学的团队将继续进行TA实验三年。助教设施拥有许多辅助项目，并为探测器表征提供试验台。综合研究和教育的天体物理科学项目(ASPIRE)是该项目的主要推广活动。Aspire在互联网上创建了引人入胜的互动科学课程和实验室。ASPIRE还为该地区的教师、学生和公众提供直接联系。TA实验包括一个由507个闪烁计数器组成的表面探测器阵列，这些计数器部署在犹他州西部沙漠中，面积超过730平方公里。三个荧光探测器站从阵列的边缘向内俯瞰表面探测器上方的空间。2013至2017年间收集的四年数据将使TA的总曝险增加一倍。继续运行的具体物理目标将是：(A)寻找证据证明新的独立数据集中存在大规模结构关联和超高能宇宙射线到达方向的群集性，测试头五年发现的信号；(B)对GZK截止区的光谱进行精确测量，以便区分相互竞争的高能光谱断裂模型；(C)完成对最高能量处成分的测量，包括以与Pierre Auger天文台结果相当的统计精度分析簇射最大深度分布的宽度和形状。此外，TA正在增加一个低能量扩展(TALL)。TALL天文台将与TA共享人员和设备，并将对怀疑发生银河系到银河系外转变的能量区域的宇宙射线的能谱和成分进行混合测量。