Proposal to Operate and Analyze Data from the High Resolution Fly's Eye Detector (Part IV)

这是一项要求资金继续运营位于犹他州美国陆军道格威试验场的高分辨率苍蝇眼(HIRES)天文台的提案。该探测器由两个相距12.6公里的站点组成，它们通过大气中的氮荧光探测超高能宇宙射线。该实验的目标是研究从1018 eV到1020 eV以上的宇宙射线的光谱、成分和各向异性。之前的实验已经表明，频谱持续超过了预测的Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin(GZK)截止值。上述事件的性质是一个谜，并引发了许多理论猜测。单目租用数据有力地证实了立体苍蝇眼在3x1018 eV处观察到的倾角结构，以及GZK截止能量附近光谱的硬化。在1020 eV以上观测到了几个突出事件。DIP结构的位置和1020 eV以上事件的通量都与AGASA地面阵列公布的结果明显不一致。该提案描述了该探测器的额外操作将如何解决这些和其他未决问题。HiRes制定了一项强有力的教育推广计划，名为ASPIRE。这个项目是与犹他州教育局合作进行的，向公众传达了雇用科学研究人员的兴奋之情。协作组建议继续这一成功的外联工作。

This is a proposal requesting funds to continue to operate the High Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) Observatory located on the U.S. Army's Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The detector is comprised of two stations, separated by 12.6 km, which detect ultra high-energy cosmic rays via nitrogen fluorescence in the atmosphere. The goals of the experiment are to study the spectrum, composition, and anisotropy of cosmic rays starting from 1018 eV to beyond 1020 eV. Previous experiments have shown evidence that the spectrum continues past the predicted Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff. The nature of the events above the cutoff is a puzzle and has stimulated much theoretical speculation. Monocular HiRes data strongly confirm the dip structure observed by the stereo Fly's Eye at 3x1018 eV and the hardening of the spectrum around the GZK cut-off energy. A few outstanding events are observed above 1020 eV. Both the location of the dip structure and the flux of events above 1020 eV are in significant disagreement with published results from the AGASA ground array. This proposal describes how the additional operation of this detector will resolve these and other outstanding issues. HiRes has developed a vigorous educational outreach program, called ASPIRE. This project, conducted in collaboration with the Utah State Office of Education, communicates the excitement of the HiRes scientific research to the general public. The collaboration proposes to continue this successful outreach effort.