A Survey of Pulsars in Very-High-Energy Gamma Rays with VERITAS

使用 VERITAS 对极高能伽马射线中的脉冲星进行调查

• 批准号: 1505228
• 负责人: Nepomuk Otte
• 金额: $ 40.5万
• 依托单位: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-08-01 至 2019-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1505228&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Survey; Pulsars; Very; Energy; Gamma

Gamma-rays are the highest energy form of electromagnetic radiation. Observations of astrophysical gamma-rays serve as probes of physical conditions and processes in the most extreme environments throughout the Universe, and can be used to test fundamental physics. The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS), located in southern Arizona, is a ground-based observatory designed to study high energy gamma-rays. VERITAS has unique capabilities, providing high sensitivity pointed observations of both galactic and extragalactic sources. This award supports scientists at Georgia Institute of Technology to carry out research with VERITAS. The group will study pulsars that emit very high energy gamma-rays to test models of particle acceleration and to look for evidence of the quantum-mechanical structure of spacetime. The group will work with undergraduates in research projects. They will also participate in the GIFT program, integrating a teacher in the group's research activities and developing classroom activities.This award with support the Georgia Institute of Technology group as they begin the first comprehensive survey of pulsars in very high energy gamma-rays with a goal of finding more pulsars like the Crab that emit pulsed gamma-rays at energies above 100 GeV. They will perform a deep exposure of the Crab pulsar with VERITAS. This will extend spectral measurements into the TeV range in order to discriminate between model predictions of particle acceleration and to test Lorentz invariance. Photon detectors for future gamma-ray observatories will be characterized and simulation software will be developed.

伽马射线是电磁辐射的最高能量形式。 对天体物理学伽马射线的观测可以作为整个宇宙中最极端环境中的物理条件和过程的探测器，并可用于测试基础物理学。 高能辐射成像望远镜阵列系统（VERITAS）位于亚利桑那州南部，是一个地面天文台，旨在研究高能伽马射线。 VERITAS具有独特的能力，可提供对银河系和河外来源的高灵敏度定点观测。 该奖项支持格鲁吉亚理工学院的科学家与VERITAS一起开展研究。 该小组将研究发射极高能量伽马射线的恒星，以测试粒子加速模型，并寻找时空量子力学结构的证据。 该小组将与本科生一起进行研究项目。 他们还将参与GIFT计划，将一名教师融入小组的研究活动并开展课堂活动。该奖项支持格鲁吉亚理工学院小组，因为他们开始对极高能量伽马射线中的中子星进行首次全面调查，目标是找到更多像螃蟹一样发射能量超过100 GeV的脉冲伽马射线的中子星。 他们将用VERITAS对蟹状星云脉冲星进行深度曝光。 这将把光谱测量扩展到TeV范围，以便区分粒子加速的模型预测和测试洛伦兹不变性。 将对未来伽马射线观测站的光子探测器进行表征，并开发模拟软件。