Multi-Messenger, Multi-Wavelength, and Multi-TeV Particle Astrophysics with HAWC

伽马射线是电磁辐射的最高能量形式。对天体物理伽马射线的观测可以作为宇宙中最极端环境中的物理条件和过程的探测器，并可用于测试基本物理。高海拔水切伦科夫天文台(HAWC)位于墨西哥内格拉山脉的山坡上，是一个地面设施，设计具有独特的能力来观测非常高能量的伽马射线。该奖项支持宾夕法尼亚州立大学的科学家与HAWC进行研究。除了支持HAWC的运营外，该集团还将从事软件开发和分析工作，以最高和最低的精力扩展HAWC的能力。然后，他们将利用这些改进对数据进行科学分析。该小组将从事教育和外展活动。该小组还在开发一个在线数据储存库和显示器，其中将公开所有HAWC数据。该小组将为新的外伸探测器开发事件重建工具，以扩展HAWC的高能量敏感度。有了这些改进，他们将对银河系中微子进行更灵敏的搜索，并通过测量高能各向同性扩散发射来限制银河系中微子的发射。该组织还将开发工具来恢复最低能量事件，以延长HAWC的低能量阈值。这将加强对伽马射线爆发的极高能量发射的搜索，对超新星遗迹光谱的测量，以及对引力波的电磁对应物的搜索。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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. This award supports scientists at Pennsylvania State University doing research with HAWC. In addition to supporting HAWC operations, the group will engage in software development and analysis efforts to extend HAWC's capabilities at the highest and lowest energies. They will then utilize those improvements for scientific analyses of the data. The group will engage in education and outreach activities. The group is also developing an online data repository and display where all the HAWC data will be made publicly available. The group will develop the event reconstruction tools for the new outrigger detectors to extend HAWC's high energy sensitivity. With these improvements they will conduct more sensitive searches for Galactic Pevatrons and constrain Galactic neutrino emission through measurements of the high energy isotropic diffuse emission. The group will also develop tools to recover the lowest energy events to extend HAWC's low energy threshold. This will enhance searches for very high energy emission from gamma ray bursts, the measurement of the spectra of supernova remnants, and searches for electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational waves.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.