Conference Proposal: The Radio Synchrotron Background

会议提案：无线电同步加速器背景

• 批准号: 1557628
• 负责人: Jack Singal
• 金额: $ 3.12万
• 依托单位: University of Richmond
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-03-01 至 2018-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1557628&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Conference; Proposal; Radio; Synchrotron; Background

Astronomers have studied the radio waves that come to us from the universe since the 1930s. One fascinating phenomenon that has been measured in radio light is a faint, diffuse glow which covers the entire sky. This glow is best described as the "Radio Synchrotron Background", where the term "synchrotron" refers to particles making radio waves when they spin around magnetic fields. Interest in the "Radio Synchrotron Background" has been rekindled recently because of new measurements. This radio glow presents a mystery because it is difficult to explain how it came to be there with known astrophysical processes. It represents one of the mysteries of contemporary astrophysics. While there have been many publications in the literature on this topic, there has not yet been a scientific workshop. We will hold the first scientific workshop on the radio synchrotron background, which will bring together scientists working in these overlapping fields to discuss the radio synchrotron background in person for the first time. There are implications for many areas of active research in contemporary astrophysics. The workshop will inspire new collaborations and new lines of inquiry, and may spur future meetings on the topic. This project funds travel support toward allowing scientists to attend the workshop as well as for a talk for the public and for a report for the scientific community on the outcome of the meeting. The workshop will be held at the University of Richmond. The Radio Synchrotron Background is a newly re-appreciated astrophysical phenomenon which has been a subject of great interest to many in the community. Combining the ARCADE 2 balloon-based absolute spectrum data from 3-90 GHz with absolutely calibrated single-dish diffuse radio surveys at lower frequencies reveals a radio synchrotron excess that is several times brighter than was expected by many. The origin of the radio synchrotron background is one of the mysteries of contemporary astrophysics. It is difficult to produce the observed level of surface brightness by known processes without violating constraints. The existence of the radio background at the observed levels presents profound challenges for our current understanding of radio emission in the Galaxy and the universe. As demonstrated in many recent publications, there are implications for many areas of astrophysics, including cosmic ray propagation, galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields, the radio to far-infrared correlation, radio source counts, X-ray source counts, quasar luminosity functions, dark matter annihilation, polarization of foregrounds in microwave background maps, population III stars, mergers of clusters, and many more. The workshop will feature plenary sessions made up of multiple presentations by attendees interspersed with and question and discussion periods centered around different topics that study of the radio synchrotron background touches. The visual component of individual presentations, in the form of PDF, PowerPoint, or similar files will be made available on the Web. Additionally, a report will be prepared for the scientific community on the outcome of the meeting. The priorities identified in the report will be determined by consensus of the meeting attendees as synthesized by the organizing committee. Finally, new collaborations and working relationships will be established.

自20世纪30年代以来，天文学家一直在研究来自宇宙的无线电波。 在无线电光中测量到的一个迷人的现象是覆盖整个天空的微弱的漫射辉光。 这种辉光被最好地描述为“无线电同步加速器背景”，其中术语“同步加速器”指的是当它们围绕磁场旋转时产生无线电波的粒子。 最近由于新的测量结果，人们对“射电同步加速器背景”的兴趣又重新燃起。 这种射电辉光呈现出一种神秘感，因为很难用已知的天体物理过程来解释它是如何出现的。 它代表了当代天体物理学的奥秘之一。 虽然关于这一主题的文献中有许多出版物，但尚未举办科学研讨会。 我们将举办第一次关于射电同步加速器背景的科学研讨会，这将汇集在这些重叠领域工作的科学家，首次亲自讨论射电同步加速器背景。 这对当代天体物理学中许多活跃的研究领域都有影响。 讲习班将激发新的合作和新的调查方向，并可能推动今后关于这一专题的会议。 该项目提供旅费支助，使科学家能够参加讲习班，并向公众发表演讲，并向科学界报告会议的成果。 讲习班将在里士满大学举行。 射电同步加速器背景辐射是一个新近被重新认识的天体物理现象，一直是社会上许多人非常感兴趣的课题。结合ARCADE 2气球从3-90 GHz的绝对频谱数据与绝对校准的单碟散射射电调查在较低的频率揭示了一个无线电同步加速器过剩，比许多人预期的要亮几倍。 射电同步加速器背景辐射的起源是当代天体物理学的一个谜团。 在不违反约束的情况下，难以通过已知工艺产生观察到的表面亮度水平。 在观测水平上无线电背景的存在对我们目前对银河系和宇宙中无线电发射的理解提出了深刻的挑战。 正如许多最近的出版物所表明的，这对天体物理学的许多领域都有影响，包括宇宙射线传播，银河和河外磁场，无线电与远红外线的相关性，射电源计数，X射线源计数，类星体光度函数，暗物质湮灭，微波背景图中前景的偏振，第三星族恒星，星团合并等等。 研讨会将以全体会议为特色，由与会者的多个演讲组成，并围绕无线电同步加速器背景研究涉及的不同主题进行提问和讨论。 将在网上提供PDF、PowerPoint或类似文件形式的个别介绍的视觉部分。 此外，将为科学界编写一份关于会议成果的报告。 报告中确定的优先事项将由与会者协商一致确定，并由组织委员会综合确定。 最后，将建立新的合作和工作关系。