A Survey of Pulsars in Very-High-Energy Gamma Rays with VERITAS

伽马射线是电磁辐射的最高能量形式。对天体物理伽马射线的观测可以作为宇宙中最极端环境中的物理条件和过程的探测器，并可用于测试基本物理。位于亚利桑那州南部的高能辐射成像望远镜阵列系统(VERITAS)是一个地面天文台，旨在研究高能伽马射线。VERITAS具有独特的能力，可以提供对银河系和银河系外来源的高灵敏度定点观测。该奖项支持佐治亚理工学院的科学家与VERITAS一起开展研究。该小组将研究发射非常高能量伽马射线的脉冲星，以测试粒子加速模型，并寻找时空量子力学结构的证据。该小组将在研究项目中与本科生合作。他们还将参与GIFT计划，将一名教师整合到该小组的研究活动中并开展课堂活动。这一奖项得到了佐治亚理工学院小组的支持，因为他们开始了对脉冲星进行的第一次全面调查，目的是发现更多像螃蟹这样发出能量超过100GeV的脉冲伽马射线的脉冲星。他们将与VERITAS一起对蟹状脉冲星进行深度曝光。这将把光谱测量扩展到TeV范围，以便区分粒子加速的模型预测，并测试洛伦兹不变性。将对未来伽马射线观测站的光子探测器进行表征，并开发模拟软件。

Gamma-rays are the highest energy form of electromagnetic radiation. Observations of astrophysical gamma-rays serve as probes of physical conditions and processes in the most extreme environments throughout the Universe, and can be used to test fundamental physics. The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS), located in southern Arizona, is a ground-based observatory designed to study high energy gamma-rays. VERITAS has unique capabilities, providing high sensitivity pointed observations of both galactic and extragalactic sources. This award supports scientists at Georgia Institute of Technology to carry out research with VERITAS. The group will study pulsars that emit very high energy gamma-rays to test models of particle acceleration and to look for evidence of the quantum-mechanical structure of spacetime. The group will work with undergraduates in research projects. They will also participate in the GIFT program, integrating a teacher in the group's research activities and developing classroom activities.This award with support the Georgia Institute of Technology group as they begin the first comprehensive survey of pulsars in very high energy gamma-rays with a goal of finding more pulsars like the Crab that emit pulsed gamma-rays at energies above 100 GeV. They will perform a deep exposure of the Crab pulsar with VERITAS. This will extend spectral measurements into the TeV range in order to discriminate between model predictions of particle acceleration and to test Lorentz invariance. Photon detectors for future gamma-ray observatories will be characterized and simulation software will be developed.