The Pierre Auger Observatory Operating Funds Request

在宇宙中最极端的天体物理事件中产生的宇宙射线被探测到了迄今为止有记录的最高能量，远远超过了人造粒子加速器所实现的能量。这些超高能宇宙射线的来源仍然是粒子天体物理学中最引人注目的长期谜团之一。皮埃尔·奥格尔天文台(PAO)是有史以来运行过的最大的宇宙线探测器。该天文台位于阿根廷马拉盖，由18个国家和仪器组成的国际合作建造，面积达3000平方公里。自2008年开始运行以来，PAO已经记录了宇宙中20多万个最高能量粒子的相互作用。这项奖励为PAO的继续运营提供部分资金。随着先进的数据分析计划和AugerPrime探测器的升级，天文台将继续成为学生和博士后研究人员的重要培训基地。天文台还通过其游客中心在当地和国际上推广广泛的外展活动，包括与美国境内的天文馆和博物馆达成协议。一个积极开发的在线数据访问程序以及随附的可视化和分析工具将天文台的科学带给世界各地的公众。PAO积累了迄今为止记录的最广泛的超高能(超过2.5e18 eV)宇宙射线数据集，在超高能宇宙射线谱、成分和到达方向的测量方面提供世界领先的精度。天文台的下一个五年运行期将解决一些关键问题，包括能谱中观察到的特征的起源、超高能宇宙射线的来源以及在100TeV以上的粒子能量下寻找新的物理。天文台目前正在进行升级，AugerPime，结合更大的统计数据集和计划中的分析方法改进，解决上述问题的能力有望显著增强。该奖项反映了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。

Cosmic rays produced in the Universe’s most extreme astrophysical events have been detected at the highest energies recorded to date, far exceeding those realized at human-made particle accelerators. The sources of these ultra-high energy cosmic rays remain one of the most compelling long-term mysteries in particle astrophysics. The Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) is the largest cosmic ray detector ever operated. Located in Malargüe, Argentina, the observatory was constructed by an international collaboration of 18 countries and instruments an area of 3000 square-kilometers. Since commencing operation in 2008, the PAO has recorded the interactions of more than 200,000 of the highest energy particles in the Universe. This award provides partial funding for the continuing operation of the PAO. With an advanced data analysis program and the AugerPrime detector upgrade underway, the observatory will continue to be an important training ground for student and postdoctoral researchers. The observatory also promotes extensive outreach initiatives both locally through its Visitor Center and internationally, including agreements with planetariums and museums within the US. An actively developed online data access program with accompanying visualization and analysis tools brings the science of the observatory to the public around the world.The PAO has accumulated the most extensive dataset of ultra-high energy (exceeding 2.5e18 eV) cosmic rays recorded to date, providing world-leading precision in the measurements of the ultra-high energy (UHE) cosmic ray spectrum, composition, and arrival directions. The next five-year operating period for the observatory is set to tackle a number of key questions including the origin of the observed features in the energy spectrum, the sources of UHE cosmic rays and the search for new physics at particle energies above 100 TeV. The observatory is currently undergoing an upgrade, AugerPime, and combined with larger statistic data sets and planned improvements in the analysis methods, significant enhancement in the ability to address the above questions is anticipated.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.