The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network

天体物理现象，特别是能量最高的现象，会发射从光子到中微子和宇宙射线的一系列粒子。它们还可能产生引力辐射。这些“信使”携带着这些来源中能量和物理条件的细节。天体物理多信息观测站网络(AMON)旨在通过首次将世界领先的多信息观测站合并为单一数据系统来发现新的粒子天体物理现象。由AMON连接的设施将观测高能中微子(冰立方和心宿二中微子观测站)，作为宇宙射线观察到的强相互作用核(Pierre Auger宇宙线观测站)，以及在未来阶段表现为引力波的时空结构的振荡(高级LIGO和室女座引力波探测器)。目前和下一代伽马射线设施，包括SWIFT和费米卫星以及HAWC伽马射线观测站，与这些设施相辅相成。在三年的获奖期内，PIS将构建一个AMON原型网络，其科学目标是发现第一个联合发射伽马射线和高能中微子源。除了AMON项目，PIS还将启动和运行“AstroTxt”，这是一种应用教育体验，将让宾夕法尼亚州中部的初中生和高中生直接参与实时AMON操作。AMON将组装第一个TB级的多功能信息器数据库，并开发用于数据交换和实时关联分析的工具，建立更高水平的互操作性。这种新的和透明的数据共享有望取得重大的科学进展：单独来自个别设施的数据不能被解释为对天体物理源的探测，但在对来自多个参与观测站的数据进行联合一致分析时，这些数据可能具有更高的意义。每个候选天体物理信号都将被打包成电子阿蒙警报，并分发给后续设施网络，以便进行对口搜索和定性。对X射线、光学或射电对应物的识别将有助于确认事件的天体物理性质，并利用传统的天文技术进行广泛的详细研究，包括距离或红移测量。

Astrophysical phenomena, and particularly the most energetic, emit a range of particles from photons to neutrinos and cosmic rays. They may also produce gravitational radiation. These "messengers" carry details of the energetics and physical conditions in these sources. The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON) aims to discover new particle astrophysics phenomena by merging the world's leading multimessenger observatories into a single data system for the first time. The facilities to be linked by AMON observe high-energy neutrinos (the IceCube and ANTARES Neutrino Observatories), the strongly-interacting nuclei observed as cosmic rays (the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory), and in future phases, the oscillations in the fabric of space-time manifested as gravitational waves (the Advanced LIGO and VIRGO gravitational-wave detectors). These are complemented by current and next-generation gamma-ray facilities, including the Swift and Fermi satellites and the HAWC gamma-ray observatory. Over the three year award period, the PIs will construct a prototype AMON network with the scientific goal of discovering the first jointly-emitting gamma-ray and high-energy neutrino sources. In conjunction with the AMON project, the PIs will also initiate and run "AstroTxt," an applied educational experience that will involve central Pennsylvania middle and high school students directly in real-time AMON operations. AMON will assemble the first terabyte-scale multimessenger database and develop tools for data exchange and real-time correlation analysis, establishing a superior level of interoperability. This new and transparent sharing of data promises significant scientific advances: Data from individual facilities that in isolation cannot be interpreted as the detection of an astrophysical source, may achieve a higher level of significance in a joint coincident analysis of data from multiple participating observatories. Each candidate astrophysical signal will be packaged as an electronic AMON Alert and distributed to a network of follow-up facilities for counterpart searches and characterization. Identification of an x-ray, optical, or radio counterpart will serve to confirm the astrophysical nature of an event and enable a broad range of detailed studies, including distance or redshift measurement, using traditional astronomical techniques.