Gamma-ray astrophysics with VERITAS

此申请是为了资助麦吉尔大学参与VERITAS伽玛射线天文学项目。VERITAS是全球三大伽玛射线天文探测器之一。它由四台大型望远镜组成，用于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。这种伽马射线是在极端环境中产生的，比如超新星遗迹和活跃的星系核。也可能有一些伽马射线来自更奇特的起源，比如星系核心暗物质粒子的湮灭，或者来自原始黑洞的蒸发。因此，它们可以为粒子物理学提供一些线索，这些线索的能量超出了地球上的加速器所能探测到的能量。VERITAS阵列于2007年在亚利桑那州南部完成，并于当年9月开始了4台望远镜的观测。到目前为止，我们已经发现了几种新的高能源，并对其他已知的高能源进行了改进的测量。我们利用x射线、光学和射电望远镜以及新发射的（2008年）费米伽玛射线空间望远镜（Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope）的数据参与了多波长运动，该望远镜覆盖的伽玛射线能量范围刚好低于VERITAS敏感的范围。VERITAS探测器已经达到并超过了所有的设计规格，我们即将开始升级计划，使其更加敏感。根据前两年的成果，我们预计这将是一个高科学生产力和许多令人兴奋的新成果的时期。

This application is for funding to support McGill participation in the VERITAS gamma-ray astronomy project. VERITAS is one of three major 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 was completed in 2007 in southern Arizona and began four-telescope observations in September of that year. So far we have discovered several new high energy sources and have made improved measurements on others that were already known. We have participated in multi-wavelength campaigns with data from X-ray, optical and radio telescopes, as well as the newly launched (2008) Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope which covers the gamma-ray energy range just below that where VERITAS is sensitive. The VERITAS detector has met and exceeded all design specifications and we are about to begin an upgrade program to make it even more sensitive. Based on the output from the first two years we expect a period of high scientific productivity and many exciting new results.