Study of the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays with the Pierre Auger Observatory

目前对能谱、各向异性、粒子组成和质子-空气截面的测量表明，Pierre Auger天文台拥有前所未有的高能宇宙视角，并在大型强子对撞机以外的能量下获得粒子物理。随着俄歇探测器目前在其全配置的表面探测器(SD)站和空气荧光探测器(FD)中运行，到目前为止收集的数据提供了有趣的谜团和令人兴奋的机会。60 eV以上能谱的抑制意味着屏蔽各向同性遥远宇宙的Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin(GZK)或类似GZK的效应。55 EEV以上的事件表明，在这个视界内有星系外各向异性的迹象。FD延伸率测量目前只延伸到30 eV，但表明要么是从较轻的初级粒子过渡到更重的初级粒子，要么是瞥见了超越LHC能量的新物理。这些测量结果对最高能源的性质有很强的影响。该奖项将支持该团队领导完成对天文台大气激光测试光束系统套件的升级工作。脉冲激光探测俄歇巨大的动态大气热量计，并在FDS中产生类似空气簇射的轨迹。计划的应用包括监测FD的端到端绝对光度校准到5%以下，这是减少能源尺度上的不确定性的必要步骤。这对确定GZK层位以下的体积有一定的意义。其他应用包括通过拉曼激光雷达对最大时变校准项(气溶胶光学厚度)进行独立精确测量。该小组还将扩展他们开发的寻找奇异粒子的方法。一种测量大范围空气骤雨速度的技术已经与激光射击进行了基准比较，然后应用于立体声和混合活动。这项技术对以光速的一小部分移动的巨大奇异物体很敏感，这些物体能够在FD中产生光学信号。在这一奖项下计划的更广泛的影响之一是发展与一所面向高危青年的地区高中的关系。该组织设想了一个物理演示项目，利用为Mines现代物理课程开发的材料，包括云室和符合粒子探测器。气溶胶在气候强迫中的作用还没有被很好地理解。南半球的气溶胶剖面测量相对较少。拉曼激光雷达是一项标准技术，它将提高俄歇大气数据的有用性，并使其能够与大气科学界的数据进行更直接的比较。

The current measurements of energy spectra, anisotropy, particle composition, and proton-air cross section demonstrate that the Pierre Auger Observatory has an unprecedented view of the high-energy Universe and access to particle physics at energies beyond the LHC. With Auger now operating in its full configuration of Surface Detector (SD) stations and air Fluorescence Detectors (FD), the data collected thus far presents interesting puzzles and exciting opportunities. The suppression of the energy spectrum above 60 EeV implies a Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) or GZK-like effect that screens the isotropic distant Universe. Events above 55 EeV show hints of extra-galactic anisotropy within this horizon. FD elongation rate measurements currently extend only to 30 EeV but suggest either a transition from lighter to heavier primaries, or a glimpse of new physics beyond LHC energies. These measurements have strong implications about the nature of the highest energy sources. This award will support this group in leading the effort to complete an upgrade to the suite of atmospheric laser test beam systems at the Observatory. Pulsed lasers probe Auger's enormous dynamic atmospheric calorimeter and generate air shower-like tracks in the FDs. Planned applications include monitoring the end-to-end absolute photometric calibration of the FD to better than 5%, a necessary step to reduce the uncertainty on the energy scale. This has implication in the determination of the volume up to the GZK horizon. Other applications include an independent precision measurement of the largest time-varying calibration term (aerosol optical depth) via Raman LIDAR. This group will also extend methods that they have developed to search for exotic particles. A technique to measure the speed of extensive air showers has been benchmarked against laser shots and then applied to stereo and hybrid events. The technique is sensitive to massive exotic objects traveling at a fraction of the speed of light that are able to generate an optical signature in the FD. Among the Broader Impacts planned under this award is the development of a relationship with an area high school for at-risk youth. The group envisions a program of physics demonstrations that make use of material developed for the Mines modern physics courses, including a cloud chamber and coincident particle detectors. The role of aerosols in climate forcing is not well understood. There are relatively few aerosol profile measurements in the southern hemisphere. Raman LIDAR is a standard technique that will both enhance the usefulness of the Auger atmospheric data and enable more direct comparisons with data in the atmospheric science community.