High Energy Astrophysics with VERITAS

此申请是为了资助麦吉尔参与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的阵列组成，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。这种伽马射线产生于极端的环境中，如超新星遗迹和活动星系核。也可能有伽马射线来自更奇异的起源，如星系核心的暗物质粒子湮灭或原始黑洞的蒸发。因此，它们可以为粒子物理学提供线索，其能量超过地球上的加速器所能探测的能量。VERITAS阵列在亚利桑那州南部即将完工。四个望远镜中的两个正在收集数据，第三个正在委托。四号望远镜将于2007年初完成，项目将从建造阶段转入观测和分析阶段。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X射线、光学和射电望远镜以及定于2007年秋季发射的新的低能量伽马射线卫星GLAST提供的数据进行多波长观测。对于年轻的伽马射线天体物理学来说，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.