CAREER: A New Approach to Particle Astrophysics with VERITAS and Multi-wavelength Data

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。该奖项支持爱荷华州州立大学的科学家与VERITAS开展研究。该小组将研究新的数据分析技术，以改进对空间扩展源的研究，并促进对来自多个观测站的数据进行联合分析。利用这些新的分析技术，该小组将对粒子加速的银河系来源进行系统研究，并最终寻找暗物质的特征。该小组将与爱荷华州州立大学天文馆合作，开发多波长天文学和高能天体物理学节目，展示和演示。PI已经采用了VERITAS数据分析的最大似然框架，该框架将扩展到能够同时拟合来自多个仪器的数据。此外，PI将实施一种基于最大似然框架的新的背景估计方法，这将改善对扩展源的分析。总之，这些发展将有助于最大限度地发挥VERITAS长期科学计划的影响。PI将对银河系粒子加速器（如超新星遗迹和脉冲星风星云）、它们与周围环境的相互作用以及它们产生的粒子的演化进行系统研究，沿着更长距离的工作，在暗物质密度高的区域寻找暗物质自我湮灭的伽马射线特征。

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 Iowa State University to carry out research with VERITAS. The group will work on new data analysis techniques to improve the study of spatially-extended sources and to facilitate the joint analysis of data from multiple observatories. Using these new analysis techniques the group will conduct a systematic study of Galactic sources of particle acceleration, and ultimately search for signatures of dark matter. The group will work with the Iowa State University planetarium developing multi-wavelength astronomy and high-energy astrophysics shows, displays, and demonstrations. The PI has adapted a maximum likelihood framework for VERITAS data analysis that will be extended to enable simultaneous fitting of data from multiple instruments. In addition, the PI will implement a new background estimation method based on this maximum likelihood framework that will improve the analysis of extended sources. Together, these developments will help maximize the impact of the VERITAS long-term science program. The PI will perform a systematic study of Galactic particle accelerators such as supernova remnants and pulsar wind nebulae, their interaction with their immediate environment, and the evolution of the particles they produce, along with more long-range work searching regions of high dark matter density for the gamma-ray signature of dark matter self-annihilation.