Pointing Monitor System for the VERITAS Gamma-ray Observatory and TeV Studies of Active Galactic Nuclei

甚高能辐射成像望远镜阵列系统（VERITAS）将于2007年初在弗雷德·劳伦斯维普莱天文台的大本营全面运行。亚利桑那州霍普金斯成像空气切伦科夫望远镜（IACTs）的四望远镜阵列将观测从整个星系和河外空间的外来源发出的能量阈值超过50 GeV的甚高能伽马射线。与前几代地基IACT相比，VERITAS的灵敏度提高了一个数量级，它将探测伽马射线源固有的极端物理现象，如活动星系核、超新星遗迹和微类星体的喷流。VERITAS预计将大大扩大北方半球伽马射线源的目录，并成为通过光学、紫外线和X射线进行无线电观测活动的一个关键组成部分。VERITAS将是GLAST的重要补充，GLAST是美国宇航局预计将于2007年发射的低能伽马射线卫星。阿德勒小组的工作重点是实施光学指向监测器和相关系统，以提高VERITAS望远镜的有效分辨率。他们的分析工作将是研究活动星系核和支持多波长研究，以补充VERITAS获得的TeV数据，VERITAS的许多关键项目将受益于四台望远镜指向精度的提高。这种改进将允许确定更准确的源位置，提高对点源的灵敏度，并增强扩展源的成像。对第一台VERITAS望远镜指向精度的测试表明，需要一个主动指向监测器来实现这一精度水平，本提案的主要研究者也是整个VERITAS教育和外联活动的项目领导人。参加VERITAS的阿德勒科学家将密切参与VERITAS科技相关材料的设计和开发。阿德勒小组将参与为一般观众网站制作内容，以及现场演示和展览亭的材料，并将参与提供VERITAS现场公众图尔斯参观，并将与阿德勒的空间可视化实验室合作，利用伽马射线簇射模拟为阿德勒的天文馆剧院开发一个全圆顶“研究短片”。

The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) will see full operations in early 2007 at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory basecamp of Mt. Hopkins, AZ. The four-telescope array of Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) will observe Very High Energy (VHE) gamma-rays above an energy threshold of 50 GeV emanating from exotic sources throughout the galaxy and extra-galactic space. With an order of magnitude increase in sensitivity over previous generations of ground-based IACTs, VERITAS will probe the extreme physics inherent in gamma-ray sources such as the jets of Active Galactic Nuclei, Supernovae Remnants and microquasars. VERITAS is expected to greatly expand the catalog of Northern Hemisphere gamma-ray sources and be a key component in observing campaigns organized across the spectrum including radio through optical, UV and X-ray. VERITAS will be an important complement to GLAST, NASA's lower energy gamma-ray satellite expected to launch in 2007.This proposal seeks funding for base support of the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum science staff involved in the VERITAS efforts over the next two years. The Adler group's efforts will focus on the implementation of an optical pointing monitor and associated systems to improve the effective resolution of the VERITAS telescopes. Their analysis efforts will be in studies of Active Galactic Nuclei and the support of multiwavelength studies complementing the TeV data obtained by VERITAS.Many of the VERITAS key projects would benefit from an improvement in the pointing accuracy of the four telescopes. Such an improvement would allow the determination of more accurate source positions, improve the sensitivity to point sources, and enhance the imaging of extended sources. Tests of the pointing accuracy of the first VERITAS telescope show that an active pointing monitor is needed to achieve this level of accuracy.The PI for this proposal is also the project lead for the overall VERITAS Education and Outreach activities. Adler scientists participating in VERITAS will be closely involved with the design and development of materials related to VERITAS science and technology. The Adler group will be involved in creating content for a general audience website, as well as materials for on site demonstrations and exhibit kiosks and will participate in providing on-site public tours of VERITAS and will work with Adler's Space Visualization Laboratory to develop a full-dome "research short" utilizing gamma-ray shower simulations for Adler's planetarium theater .