Study of the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays

该小组提出了一项研究计划，涉及与犹他州的HiRes宇宙射线项目和将扩展到蒙大拿州的ASPIRE K-12外展计划的合作。HiRes实验旨在研究高能神秘的宇宙射线。 这些宇宙射线的能量超过了Greisen-Zetsepin-Kuz'min截止值，这使得许多人假设某些基本过程可能是产生具有非凡能量的粒子的原因。 由美国国家科学基金会支持的“蝇眼”对神秘的宇宙射线的最高能量进行了第一次也是最有说服力的观察。 HiRes是Fly's Eye的继任者，现已投入使用。 Aspire项目（天体物理学科学项目整合研究和教育）是NSF支持的外展项目，涉及HiRes科学家，K-12教师，国家教育管理人员，教育专家和程序员。该项目的目标是利用交互式、面向探究的网络技术，将基础天体物理学研究的最新发现融入日常科学课程和实验室，该项目是美国国家科学基金会整合研究和教育举措的一个范例。

This group proposes a research program involving collaboration with the HiRes cosmic ray project in Utah, and the ASPIRE K-12 outreach program which will expand to Montana. The HiRes experiment is designed to study high-energy enigmatic cosmic rays. The observation of these cosmic rays whose energy exceeded the Greisen-Zetsepin-Kuz'min cut-off led many to postulate that some fundamental processes may be responsible for particles of extraordinary energy. Fly's Eye, supported by NSF, made the first and the most convincing observation of the highest energy of the enigmatic cosmic rays. HiRes, the successor of Fly's Eye, is now in operation. The Aspire Project (Astrophysics Science Project Integrating Research and Education) is an NSF supported outreach project involving HiRes scientists, K-12 teachers, state education administrators, education specialists, and programmers. The goal of this project is to infuse recent discoveries made in fundamental astrophysics research into everyday science lessons and laboratories by utilizing interactive, inquiry-oriented, web-based technology.This project is an example of the NSF initiative of integrating research and education.