Operation of the HAWC Gamma Ray Observatory

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。高海拔水切伦科夫（HAWC）天文台位于墨西哥Sierra Negra的斜坡上，是一个地面设施，具有观测极高能量伽马射线的独特能力。 凭借其巨大的瞬时视野和连续的操作，HAWC每天可以观测三分之二的天空。 HAWC观测提供了高能天空的新观点，并导致了新来源的发现。 这个奖项给马里兰州大学公园支持HAWC的持续运作。 该奖项还将支持HAWC的公共推广计划，包括与HAWC相关的双语产品向西班牙裔美国人社区推广。HAWC将继续对伽马射线天空进行深入调查，并将观测大量伽马射线源样本，测量通量、光谱和可变性。HAWC的宽视场和高灵敏度使得能够研究来自银河平面的扩展源和扩散发射。 HAWC在多波长和多信使天体物理学活动中发挥着重要作用。 马里兰州大学在HAWC的运作中发挥着关键作用。 PI担任HAWC的美国发言人，Co-PI担任HAWC数据经理。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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. With its large instantaneous field of view and continuous operations HAWC surveys two-thirds of the sky every day. HAWC observations have provided new views of the high energy sky and led to the discovery of new sources. This award to the University of Maryland College Park supports the continued operation of HAWC. This award will also support HAWC's public outreach programs that include outreach to the Hispanic-American community with bi-lingual products related to HAWC. HAWC will continue to perform deep surveys of the gamma-ray sky and will observe 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. HAWC plays an important role in multi-wavelength and multi-messenger astrophysics campaigns. The University of Maryland plays a critical role in HAWC operations. The PI serves as U.S. Spokesperson for HAWC and the Co-PI serves as HAWC Data Manager. With this award they will continue to operate and maintain the HAWC observatory, maintain the US data archive, and provide public data access to sky maps and real-time transient alerts.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.