Observation of Celestial Gamma-ray Objects with Imaging Cerenkov Telescope

用切伦科夫成像望远镜观测天体伽马射线天体

• 批准号: 02302017
• 负责人: KIFUNE Tadashi
• 金额: $ 24.06万
• 依托单位: Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo
• 依托单位国家: 日本
• 项目类别: Grant-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (A)
• 财政年份: 1990
• 资助国家: 日本
• 起止时间: 1990 至 1992
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/grant/KAKENHI-PROJECT-02302017/
• 关键词: High energy gamma-ray astronomy; Imaging Cerenkov telescope; Cerenkov light; Gamma-Ray Pulsars; Acceleration of cosmic rays; Origin of cosmic rays; Gamma-ray stars; High energy phenomena in the universe; 空気シャワー; 高エネルギー天体物理学; 高エネルギ-ガンマ線天文学; 天体の高

Observation of very high energy gamma-rays is the last frontier in astronomy. The present research was commenced with a purpose to construct a telescope for detecting energetic gamma-rays at 1000 GeV=1TeV,and then to add more observational data in this energy region from various celestial objects. (1) We transported a 3.8 m parabolic telescope to Australia. By setting a camera of 220 photomultiplier tubes which has the current highest resolution and by adding a system of electronics circuits and a computer, an imaging Cerenkov telescope was made into operation. The apparatus has an angular resolution of -0.1ﾟ with a capability of reducing cosmic ray background by a factor of about 100. Observation has been done aiming at young pulsars, supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei which are known to emit gamma-rays at GeV energies. (2) A signal of TeV gamma-rays was detected from PSR1706-44. It is the first indication of TeV gamma-rays from this object, making it the second Galactic TeV gamma-ray emitter next to the Crab. (3) An evidence of gamma-rays of 6 TeV was found also from the Crab pulsar/nebula, which enables us to calibrate the characteristics of the telescope in comparison with the one of the Whipple Observatory in USA,as well as to provide with new data on this object. With these results, we could start a step toward our final goal of establishing very high energy gamma-ray astronomy. The observation is still under way, and we expect more observational data from many other objects.

观测高能伽马射线是天文学的最新前沿。本研究的目的是建造一个探测1000 GeV=1TeV高能伽玛射线的望远镜，然后在这个能量区域添加更多来自各个天体的观测数据。我们向澳大利亚运送了一台3.8米的抛物面望远镜。通过设置目前最高分辨率的220个光电倍增管相机，加上一个电子电路系统和一台计算机，一台成像切伦科夫望远镜开始运作。该仪器的角分辨率为-0.1‰，具有将宇宙射线背景降低约100倍的能力。观测的目标是年轻的脉冲星、超新星残骸和活动的星系核，这些已知会发射GeV能量的伽马射线。(2) PSR1706-44探测到TeV伽玛射线信号。这是第一个来自这个天体的TeV伽马射线的迹象，使它成为仅次于蟹状星云的第二个银河系TeV伽马射线发射器。(3)在蟹状脉冲星/星云中还发现了6 TeV的伽马射线证据，这使我们能够与美国惠普尔天文台的望远镜进行比较，校准望远镜的特性，并为该天体提供新的数据。有了这些结果，我们可以向建立高能伽马射线天文学的最终目标迈出一步。观测仍在进行中，我们期待更多来自其他天体的观测数据。

项目成果

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S.Ogio 等人：“TeV Energy 的 γ 射线脉冲星 PSR1706-44 观测”Proc.of 23rd ICRC（卡尔加里）1. 392-395 (1993)。

T.Tanimori.: "CANGAROO PROJECT." Proceedings of 5th Workshop on Elementary Particle View of the Universe.

T.Tanimori：“袋鼠计划。”

T.Kifune and T.Tanimori: "A Plan of Cerenkov Imaging of 10 m Diameter" Proc.of Workshop 'Towards a Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Detector II' (Calgary).243-249 (1994)

T.Kifune 和 T.Tanimori：“10 m 直径切伦科夫成像计划”Proc.of Workshop Towards a Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Detector II（卡尔加里）.243-249 (1994)

T.Hara: "Plan of Observing Southern VHE γーRay Sources with the Imaging Cerenkov Telescope" Astrophysical Aspects of the Most Energetic Cosmic Rays World Scicntrfic. 463-464 (1990)

T.Hara：“用成像切伦科夫望远镜观测南方 VHE γ 射线源的计划”《最具能量宇宙射线世界科学的天体物理方面》463-464 (1990)。

T.Tanimori et al.: "Observation of TeV Energy Gamma-rays from Crab Pulsar/Nebula usnig a Large Zenith Angle Air Cerenkov Imaging Technique" Astrophysical Journal. (submitted to).

T.Tanimori 等人：“使用大天顶角空气切伦科夫成像技术观察蟹状脉冲星/星云的 TeV 能量伽马射线”天体物理学杂志。