CAREER: Searching for Dark Matter and Studying Galactic Particle Accelerators with VERITAS

伽马射线天文学影响着广泛的关键科学问题：间接暗物质探测和基本物理定律的测试；宇宙学研究；与活动星系核、伽马射线暴(伽马射线暴)和微类星体有关的喷流物理；以及银河系加速器和加速器中的粒子加速。今天，极其灵敏的仪器同时在高能(100兆电子伏(MeV)-100千兆伏(GeV)范围内的Agile和费米)和极高能量(HAWC、Hess、Magic、Veritas，能量大于100GeV；)状态下工作。VERITAS最激动人心的结果包括探测到100GeV以上的蟹状脉冲星的辐射(需要存在新的发射分量)，发现了星暴星系M82的伽马射线辐射(将宇宙射线加速与恒星形成区紧密联系在一起)，探测到射电星系中射电和太电子伏特(TeV)制度的相关可变性(有助于将发射限制在喷流准直区内)。VERITAS设定的SEGUE 1矮小星系的伽马射线辐射上限排除了最近宇宙射线正电子测量所青睐的大部分轻薄暗物质参数空间。2012年夏季，Veritas相机进行了一次重大升级，引入了高量子效率的光电倍增管，将阵列的能量阈值降低了30%，2015年，切伦科夫望远镜阵列(CTA)正在开发的10米级Schwarzschild-Couder望远镜原型将进一步扩大阵列。在最近VERITAS硬件升级之后，进一步提高仪器的科学潜力的巨大希望来自于对数据分析的关注。该职业奖为VERITAS数据分析方法的重大改进提供支持，旨在降低分析门槛，提高角度和能量分辨率，并增加背景歧视。它还将支持对VERITAS数据的分析，以搜索来自银晕、费米非关联源和相关目标的暗物质信号，以及对银河宇宙线加速器的研究。更广泛的影响：VERITAS和CTA的科学-搜索暗物质和调查最强大的宇宙加速器-在天文和粒子物理中都有广泛的应用，并解决了可以激发公众想象力的问题。小组成员将通过在地区高中的公开讲座，以及曼哈顿和威彻斯特县当地晨兴高地和哈莱姆地区的小组，以及通过邀请本科生和地区高中生参与小组的研究活动，来分享这种兴奋。作为将这些外展活动联系在一起的核心内容，该组织计划在尼维斯实验室开发一个游客中心，该中心将同时占据物理和虚拟空间，并为来访的团体提供一个中心，让他们了解尼维斯的历史和当前的研究。

Gamma-ray astronomy impacts a broad range of key science questions: indirect dark matter detection and tests of fundamental physical laws; cosmological studies; jet physics associated with active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and microquasars; and particle acceleration in galactic tevatrons and pevatrons. Today, extremely sensitive instruments operate in the high energy (AGILE and FERMI in the range 100 MegaelectronVolt (MeV) - 100 GigaelectronVolt (GeV)) and very high energy (VHE) (HAWC, HESS, MAGIC, VERITAS at energies greater than 100 GeV;) regimes simultaneously. Among the most exciting results from VERITAS are the detection of emission from the Crab Pulsar above 100 GeV (requiring the presence of a new emission component), the discovery of gamma-ray emission from a starburst galaxy, M82 (firmly associating cosmic-ray acceleration with star-forming regions), and the detection of correlated variability in the radio and Teraelectronvolt (TeV) regimes in radio galaxies (helping to constrain the emission to be originating within the jet collimation region). The upper limit on the gamma-ray emission from the Segue 1 dwarf galaxy set by VERITAS rules out most of the leptophilic dark matter parameter space favored by recent cosmic-ray positron measurements. A major upgrade to the VERITAS cameras during summer 2012 introduced high-quantum-efficiency photo multiplier tubes to lower the energy threshold of the array by 30%, and the array will be further augmented by the arrival in 2015 of a prototype 10 meter class Schwarzschild-Couder telescope under development for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). Following the recent VERITAS hardware upgrade, great promise for further improving the science potential of the instrument comes from a focus on data analysis. This CAREER award provides support for developing major improvements in VERITAS data analysis methods aimed at lowering the analysis threshold, improving angular and energy resolution, and increasing background discrimination. It will also support analysis of VERITAS data to search for dark matter signals from the Galactic Halo, Fermi unassociated sources, and related targets, as well as studies of Galactic accelerators of cosmic rays. Broader impacts: The science of VERITAS and CTA - searching for dark matter and investigating the most powerful cosmic accelerators - has broad applications to both astro- and particle physics, and addresses questions that can capture the public's imagination. Group members will share that excitement via public lectures at area high schools and to groups in the local Morningside Heights and Harlem areas of Manhattan and Westchester County, and by engaging undergraduates and area high school students in the group's research activities. As a centerpiece to tie together these outreach activities, the group plans to develop a Visitor Center at Nevis Labs that will occupy both physical and virtual spaces and provide a focal point for visiting groups to learn about the history and current research at Nevis.