Studies of the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays with the Auger Observatory

这项提案要求俄亥俄州立大学(OSU)的一个小组支持皮埃尔·奥格天文台(PAO)的工作。PAO是一个国际项目，旨在研究超过10^19 eV的最高能量宇宙射线。这些宇宙中能量最高的粒子非常罕见，阐明它们的起源之谜是现代天体物理学的关键挑战之一。根据Greisen(1966)和Zatzepin和Kuz‘min(1966)的提议，AGASA表面阵列和HiRes的空气荧光实验之间关于宇宙微波背景辐射相互作用中能量损失导致的截断存在明显的分歧，进一步混淆了这一谜团。位于阿根廷西部的帕奥南部现在是有史以来建造的最大的空气簇射阵列，有450多个地面探测器在运行，安装了一半的荧光望远镜。OSU小组在地表探测器电子链的设计、集成、调试和管理中发挥了至关重要的作用。PI在该项目的管理结构中担任表面探测器电子任务负责人。该小组成员花了相当长的时间在实地调试工程阵列和生产前探测器，并参与了用于操作表面阵列的许多软件的开发和调试。他们计划继续开展活动，支持探测器的安装、调试和操作，并参与俄歇数据的分析。他们通过为学童和其他人组织参观美国和阿根廷的设施，积极参与公众活动，并提供了解相关迷人科学的机会。

This proposal requests support for an Ohio State University (OSU) group to work on the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO). The PAO is an international project aimed at the study of the highest energy cosmic rays, beyond 10^19 eV. These highest energy particles in the Universe are very rare, and the elucidation of the mystery of their origin is one of the key challenges in modern astrophysics. This mystery is further confounded by an apparent disagreement between the AGASA surface array and the HiRes air fluorescence experiments concerning the existence of a cutoff due to energy loss in interactions with the cosmic microwave background radiation, as proposed by Greisen(1966) and by Zatzepin and Kuz'min(1966). The southern PAO site, located in western Argentina, is now the largest air shower array ever constructed, with over 450 surface detectors operating and half of the fluorescence telescopes installed. The OSU group has played a vital role in the design, integration, commissioning, and management of the surface detector electronics chain. The PI serves as the surface detector electronics task leader in the project's management structure. Members of the group have spent considerable time in the field commissioning the engineering array and pre-production detectors, and have participated in the development and debugging of much of the software used in operating the surface array. They plan to continue their activities in support of detector installation, commissioning, and operation, and their participation in analysis of the Auger data. They have been active in engaging the public and providing opportunities for understanding of the fascinating science involved, by conducting tours of the facilities both in the U.S. and in Argentina for schoolchildren and others.