Particle Astrophysics with HAWC

伽马射线是电磁辐射中能量最高的形式。对天体物理伽马射线的观测是对宇宙中最极端环境下的物理条件和过程的探测，可以用来测试基础物理学。高海拔水切伦科夫（HAWC）天文台位于墨西哥内格拉山脉的斜坡上，是一个地面设施，具有独特的观测高能伽马射线的能力。该奖项支持马里兰大学帕克分校的科学家在天文台的运作和对HAWC数据的科学分析中发挥领导作用。PI担任HAWC的美国发言人，Co-PI担任HAWC数据经理。他们将继续为天文台开发分析算法和模拟工具，并开展瞬态伽玛射线源和空间扩展星系源的科学研究。该奖项将使该组织能够继续并扩大其外联工作，其中包括向西班牙裔美国人社区提供与HAWC有关的双语产品。凭借其巨大的瞬时视场和持续的操作，HAWC每天都对三分之二的天空进行调查。HAWC将对伽马射线天空进行深入调查，并通过测量通量、光谱和变异性来探测大量伽马射线源样本。HAWC的宽视场和高灵敏度使其能够研究来自银道面的扩展源和漫射发射。马里兰大学的研究小组将利用HAWC的独特能力来研究罕见的瞬变现象，寻找伽马射线爆发的高能发射，并探测扩展源的光谱和形态。此外，他们将继续领导天文台的运作和改善天文台的表现。

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 High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory, located on the slopes of the Sierra Negra in Mexico, is a ground-based facility designed with unique capabilities to observe very high energy gamma-rays. This award supports scientists at the University of Maryland College Park in their leadership roles in the operation of the observatory and in the scientific analysis of the HAWC data. The PI serves as U.S. Spokesperson for HAWC and the Co-PI serves as HAWC Data Manager. They will continue developing analysis algorithms and simulation tools for the observatory, and pursue scientific research on transient gamma-ray sources and spatially extended Galactic sources. This award will allow the group to continue and expand their outreach efforts, which include outreach to the Hispanic-American community with bi-lingual products related to HAWC. With its large instantaneous field of view and continuous operations HAWC surveys two-thirds of the sky every day. HAWC will perform a deep survey of the gamma-ray sky and detect a large sample of gamma-ray sources with measurements of flux, spectra and variability. HAWC's wide field and high sensitivity enable studies of extended sources and diffuse emission from the Galactic plane. The University of Maryland group will exploit HAWC's unique capabilities to study rare transients, search for high-energy emission from gamma-ray bursts, and probe the spectra and morphology of extended sources. In addition they will continue their leadership roles in operating and improving the performance of the observatory.