WoU-MMA:Astrophysics with a New Very-High-Energy Gamma-Ray Telescope

WoU-MMA：利用新型超高能伽马射线望远镜进行天体物理学

• 批准号: 2013102
• 负责人: Justin Vandenbroucke
• 金额: $ 50.88万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-08-15 至 2024-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2013102&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: WoU; MMA; Astrophysics; New; Very

Gamma-ray astronomy is a vital part of multi-messenger astrophysics (MMA), enabling robust identification or confirmation of MMA sources and strong constraints on the nature, spectra, or distance of sources. The next-generation gamma-ray observatory, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), will provide a leap forward in sensitivity. Meanwhile, an innovative high-performance telescope and camera design, the Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT), is being tested with a prototype SCT (pSCT), now in commissioning. The present project will develop calibration and analysis routines for this new very-high-energy gamma-ray telescope, the pSCT, and apply them for new measurements of the Crab Nebula, characterization of the telescope (especially for MMA follow-up), and work to measure the multi-TeV positron fraction. This group develops projects and opportunities at the intersection of research, education, and outreach. They launched and lead the Distributed Electronic Cosmic-ray Observatory (DECO), which enables citizen scientists around the world to use the DECO app on their smart phone to detect cosmic rays and other energetic particles. DECO users span 46 states, 74 countries, and seven continents. The present award supports continued operations, maintenance, and development of the DECO project.In the very-high-energy regime (20 GeV), the current generation of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes has proven the scientific potential of the technique. The SCT promises excellent Cherenkov shower imaging capability, as well as performance in moonlight, thanks to its dual-mirror optics and high-resolution silicon-photomultiplier camera. With the calibration, reconstruction, and analysis techniques to be developed under this award, the camera will be capable of superb gamma-ray angular resolution and hadronic background rejection, both of which translate directly into scientific discovery potential. In addition, measurement of the multi-TeV positron fraction will provide essential input to identify the origin of the currently unexplained positron excess. This project advances the goals of the NSF Windows on the Universe Big Idea.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.

伽马射线天文学是多信使天体物理学(MMA)的重要组成部分，它能够可靠地识别或确认MMA源，并对源的性质、光谱或距离有很强的约束。下一代伽马射线天文台切伦科夫望远镜阵列(CTA)将在灵敏度方面实现飞跃。与此同时，一种创新的高性能望远镜和相机设计--施瓦希德-库德望远镜(SCT)--正在与正在调试中的SCT(PSCT)原型进行测试。本项目将为这一新的甚高能伽马射线望远镜(PSCT)制定校准和分析程序，并将其用于对蟹状星云的新测量、望远镜的特性(特别是用于MMA后续工作)以及测量多TeV正电子分数的工作。这个团队在研究、教育和推广的交叉点上开发项目和机会。他们发起并领导了分布式电子宇宙射线天文台(DECO)，使世界各地的公民科学家能够在他们的智能手机上使用DECO应用程序来探测宇宙射线和其他高能粒子。Deco的用户遍及46个州、74个国家和7大洲。本奖项支持DECO项目的继续运营、维护和开发。在超高能区域(20GeV)，当前一代成像大气切伦科夫望远镜已经证明了该技术的科学潜力。由于其双镜光学系统和高分辨率硅光电倍增管相机，SCT承诺具有出色的切伦科夫淋浴成像能力，以及在月光下的性能。随着该奖项下将开发的校准、重建和分析技术，该相机将能够实现卓越的伽马射线角分辨率和强子背景抑制，这两者都直接转化为科学发现的潜力。此外，多TeV正电子分数的测量将为确定目前无法解释的正电子过剩的来源提供必要的信息。这个项目推进了NSF宇宙大理想之窗的目标。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，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。

项目成果

Assembly and performance of SiPM arrays for the prototype SCT proposed for CTA

为 CTA 提议的原型 SCT 的 SiPM 阵列的组装和性能

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2022.167359
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Detectors and Associated Equipment
• 作者: Ambrosi, G.;Ambrosio, M.;Aramo, C.;Benbow, W.;Bertucci, B.;Bissaldi, E.;Bitossi, M.;Boiano, A.;Bonavolontà, C.;Cameron, R.A.
• 通讯作者: Cameron, R.A.

Design and performance of the prototype Schwarzschild-Couder telescope camera

Schwarzschild-Couder 望远镜相机原型的设计和性能

• DOI: 10.1117/1.jatis.8.1.014007
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems
• 作者: Tagliaferri Gianpiero;Antonelli Angelo;Arnesen Tora;Aschersleben Jann;Attina' Primo;Balbo Matteo;Bang Sunghyun;Barcelo Miquel;Baryshev Andrey;Bellassai Giancarlo;et al.;Adams Colin B. et al.
• 通讯作者: Adams Colin B. et al.