High Energy Astrophysics with VERITAS

该申请旨在资助麦吉尔参与 VERITAS 伽马射线天文学项目。 VERITAS 是全球四个新一代伽马射线天文探测器之一。它由四个大型望远镜组成，旨在探测高能天体物理伽马射线在高层大气中相互作用时产生的高能电子和正电子发出的紫外线和蓝光。这种伽马射线是在超新星遗迹和活跃星系核等极端环境中产生的。也可能存在来自更奇异来源的伽马射线，例如星系核心暗物质粒子的湮灭或来自原始黑洞的蒸发。因此，它们可以为超出地球加速器所能探测到的能量的粒子物理学提供线索。亚利桑那州南部的 VERITAS 阵列即将完工。四台望远镜中的两台正在一起收集数据，第三台正在投入使用。望远镜四号将于2007年初完工，项目将从建设阶段进入观测分析阶段。我们计划调查从我们的站点可见的银河系部分，并寻找灵敏度比上一代探测器高一个数量级的新来源。我们还将利用来自 X 射线、光学和射电望远镜以及将于 2007 年秋季发射的新型低能量伽马射线卫星 GLAST 的数据进行多波长观测。对于伽马射线天体物理学这一新兴科学来说，这是一个激动人心的时刻。

This application is for funding to support McGill participation in the VERITAS gamma-ray astronomy project. VERITAS is one of four new-generation gamma-ray astronomy detectors world-wide. It consists of an array of four large telescopes designed to detect ultraviolet and blue light emitted by the energetic electrons and positrons produced when high-energy astrophysical gamma-rays interact in the upper atmosphere. Such gamma-rays are produced in extreme environments such as supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei. There may also be gamma-rays which come from more exotic origins such as annihilation of dark-matter particles in the cores of galaxies or from evaporation of primordial black holes. As such, they could provide clues to particle physics at energies beyond what can be probed at earth-bound accelerators. The VERITAS array is nearing completion in southern Arizona. Two of the four telescopes are taking data together and the third is being commissioned. Telescope four will be complete at the beginning of 2007 and the project will move from the construction phase to the observing and analysis phase. We plan to survey the parts of our galaxy visible from our site and look for new sources with a sensitivity an order of magnitude better than previous generation detectors. We will also carry out multiwavelength observations using data from X-ray, optical and radio telescopes as well as the new, lower energy, gamma-ray satellite, GLAST, due to be launched in the fall of 2007. It is an exciting time for the young science of gamma-ray astrophysics.