Very High Energy Gamma-ray Astrophysics with VERITAS

伽马射线是电磁辐射中能量最高的形式。对天体物理伽马射线的观测是对整个宇宙中最极端环境中的物理条件和过程的探测，可以用来测试基础物理学。位于亚利桑那州南部的高能辐射成像望远镜阵列系统（VERITAS），设计用于对银河系和河外源进行高灵敏度的定点观测。该奖项支持明尼苏达大学双城分校的科学家与VERITAS的研究。该小组将参与支持天文台的技术操作和对活动星系高能伽马射线发射的科学研究。明尼苏达大学的研究小组正致力于通过Zooniverse.org平台对伽马射线数据进行分类的公民科学努力。该小组还将吸引具有VERITAS研究经验的本科生，并参与当地活动的公共宣传。这个明尼苏达大学的小组将实施新的分析方法，以提高VERITAS对弱源的灵敏度，并解决最高能量下的系统不确定性。有了这些改进，该小组将对新的和存档的VERITAS数据进行科学分析，以研究活动星系核。他们将专注于描述新的高能发射源，包括射电星系和极端耀变体，以研究“耀变体序列”。他们还将对耀变体进行多波长研究，以探测伽马射线发射区，并通过其对耀变体本征光谱的影响来设定河外背景光的限制。在与Zooniverse.org的合作中，该小组将对相机图像进行众包分类，为改进图像分类算法提供重要的训练数据，同时让公众参与到与伽马射线相关的科学中来。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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 designed to perform high-sensitivity pointed observations of both galactic and extragalactic sources. This award supports scientists at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in their research with VERITAS. The group will participate in both technical operations in support of the observatory and scientific investigations of high energy gamma ray emission from active galaxies. The University of Minnesota group is engaged in citizen science efforts to classify gamma-ray data through the Zooniverse.org platform. The group will also engage undergraduates with VERITAS research experiences and participate in public outreach at local events.This University of Minnesota group will implement new analysis methods to improve the sensitivity of VERITAS to weak sources and to address systematic uncertainties at the highest energies. With these improvements the group will perform scientific analyses of both new and archival VERITAS data to study Active Galactic Nuclei. They will focus on characterizing new classes of very high energy emitting sources, including radio galaxies and extreme blazars to study the "blazar sequence." They will also perform multi-wavelength studies on blazars to probe the gamma-ray emission zone and to set limits on the extragalactic background light through its effects on blazar intrinsic spectra. In their work with Zooniverse.org, the group will crowd-source classifications of camera images, providing important training data for the improvement of image classification algorithms while at the same time engaging the public in gamma-ray related science.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.