GeV-TeV Gamma Ray Astronomy and Cosmic Ray Physics with Whipple/VERITAS

这项研究将支持犹他大学伽马射线天文学小组使用惠普尔和VERITAS地面望远镜对高能天体物理现象进行观测调查的努力。这两台仪器都使用成像大气切伦科夫成像望远镜(IACT)技术来记录伽马射线与地球大气相互作用时发出的微弱的光学闪光。犹他大学将参与现有惠普尔天文台的数据运营和分析，并参与新的Veritas天文台的设计、建造、运营和分析，该天文台由国家科学基金会、美国能源部、史密森学会以及英格兰、爱尔兰和加拿大的国际机构提供支持。IACT技术的成功导致了一个新的天体物理学领域的建立：甚高能伽马射线天文学，它为天体物理和基础物理的许多领域做出了许多贡献。附近星系中超大质量黑洞的伽马射线辐射的发现，使人们对这些天体中发生的能量过程有了新的理解，并使研究早期宇宙中星系形成所产生的红外辐射场成为可能。银河系宇宙射线的未知来源可以通过其源天体如超新星遗迹的伽马射线发射直接探测到它们的来源。我们的三维空间和时间的性质，以及额外维度的可能存在，也可以用VHE伽马射线来研究。这项研究将支持与VERITAS和WHIPPLE的观测活动，重点是这些研究河外红外辐射场，搜索我们银河系中失踪的“暗物质”，寻找与量子重力相关的额外维度的证据，并探索高分辨率观测核宇宙线的新技术。犹他州大学伽马射线小组将为VERITAS天文台设计和建造校准、一级触发和电缆/连接器系统。犹他大学在与VERITAS和WHIPPLE科学目标相关的模拟和分析工作中发挥着重要作用。犹他州将开发惠普尔和Veritas探测器响应的详细模拟，并使用这些模拟来优化观测策略、电子触发配置和分析程序。犹他州伽马射线小组还将向惠普尔/VERITAS合作小组提供这些模拟，用于VHE伽马射线观测的科学分析。犹他大学伽马射线小组将参与社区、大学和州/国家层面的教育外联计划。这一支助将继续这些现有活动，并通过将犹他大学发展为与正在为Veritas制定的教育/公共推广倡议相联系的教育推广节点来加强这些活动。

This research will support efforts by the University of Utah Gamma Ray Astronomy Group in observational investigations of high energy astrophysical phenomena using the Whipple and VERITAS ground based telescopes. Both of these instruments use the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov imaging Telescope (IACT) technique to record the faint flashes of optical light emitted by gamma rays as they interact with the Earth's atmosphere. The University of Utah will participate in the operation and analysis of data from the existing Whipple observatory, as well as participate in the design, construction, operation, and analysis of the new VERITAS observatory, supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Smithsonian Institution as well as by international agencies in England, Ireland, and Canada. The success of the IACT technique has led to the founding of a new field of astrophysics: Very High Energy (VHE) gamma ray astronomy, which has provided numerous contributions to many fields of astrophysics and fundamental physics. Discovery of gamma-ray emission from super massive black holes in nearby galaxies has led to new understanding of the energetic processes occurring in these objects, and have also allowed study of infra-red radiation fields generated by galaxy formation in the early universe. The unknown origin of Galactic cosmic rays may be directly probed to their source through gamma ray emission at their source objects such supernova remnants. The nature of our three-dimensional space and time and the possible presence of additional dimensions may also be studied using VHE gamma rays. This research will support observational activities with VERITAS and Whipple, with an emphasis on these studying extragalactic infrared radiation fields, searching for the missing `dark matter' in our Galaxy, searching for evidence of extra dimensions associated with quantum gravity, and exploring new techniques for high-resolution observations of nuclear cosmic rays.The University of Utah Gamma Ray Group will design and construct the calibration, Level 1 trigger, and Cables/Connectors systems for the VERITAS Observatory. The University of Utah plays a major role in the simulation and analysis efforts associated with the VERITAS and Whipple science goals. Utah will develop detailed simulations of Whipple and VERITAS detector response, and use these simulations to optimize observing strategies, electronic triggering configurations, and analysis procedures. The Utah gamma ray Group will also provide these simulations to the Whipple/VERITAS collaboration for use in scientific analysis of the VHE gamma ray observations. The University of Utah Gamma Ray group will participate in Educational Outreach programs at the community, University, and State/National levels. This support will continue these existing activities and enhance them through development of the University of Utah as an educational outreach node associated with an Education/Public Outreach Initiative under development for VERITAS.