RUI: Analysis of TeV Gamma-rays from AGN and Dark Matter

活动星系（AGN）的核心有一个超大质量的黑洞，周围是一个吸积盘。人们对吸积盘和黑洞之间的相互作用知之甚少，这种相互作用会产生高能粒子和辐射的强大光束射流。这种辐射的光谱是所涉及的加速机制的有力指标。VERITAS，高能辐射成像望远镜阵列系统，位于亚利桑那州南部的惠普尔天文台大本营，是一组成像大气切伦科夫望远镜阵列，旨在探测地球大气中的高能（100 GeV - 50 TeV）伽马射线。虽然对暗物质的直接探测尚未实现，但间接探测的努力包括寻找甚高能伽马射线。矮星系和球状星团被认为是暗物质的良好候选者，因为它们内部恒星群的速度超过了发光物质的预期速度，实际上提供了对暗物质存在的间接测量。它们是理想的VHE伽玛射线搜索，因为它们离我们很近，而且在它们的核心没有已知的VHE发射器。这个奖项将给加州理工学院带来天体物理学的经验。提出的分析工作的目标是改进VERITAS伽玛射线探测算法，并利用改进的灵敏度研究AGN中的加速机制和寻找暗物质。该奖学金将为两名学生提供全年的研究机会。本科学生将获得广泛的科学接触，同时在一个重点突出、易于处理的研究项目上工作，适合于毕业论文。加州理工学院也是该州培养高中物理教师的主要机构之一。STAR计划是与教师合作开发教学补充的绝佳场所，这些补充可用于教授科学和天文学的六年级和八年级课程。

Active galaxies (AGN) harbor a super-massive black hole at their core surrounded by an accretion disk. Little is known about the interaction between the accretion disk and the black hole, an interaction that produces powerful beamed jets of highly-energetic particles and radiation. The spectrum of this radiation is a strong indicator of the acceleration mechanisms involved. VERITAS, the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System, located in Southern Arizona at the Whipple Observatory Base camp, is an array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes designed to detect very-high-energy (VHE) gamma rays (100 GeV - 50 TeV) that shower in the earth's atmosphere. While the direct-detection of dark matter has not yet been achieved, indirect detection efforts involve searching for VHE gamma-rays. Dwarf galaxies and globular clusters are believed to be good candidates for dark matter because the virial velocities of the star populations within them exceed what is expected from the luminous matter and in fact give an indirect measure of the dark matter present. They are ideal for VHE gamma-ray searches because they are nearby and have no known VHE emitters within their cores. This award will bring astrophysics experiences to Cal Poly. The goals of the proposed analysis effort are to improve the VERITAS gamma-ray detection algorithms and to use the improved sensitivity to study the acceleration mechanisms in AGN and to search for dark matter.This RUI grant will bring year-round research opportunities to two students. Undergraduate students will be given broad exposure to the science while working on a focused and tractable research project suitable for a senior thesis. Cal Poly is also one of the leading producers of high-school physics teachers in the state. The STAR program is an excellent venue for working with teachers to develop teaching supplements that can be used in 6th and 8th grade curricula where Science and Astronomy are taught.