MRI Consortium: Development of a Wide Field-of-View Camera for the Schwarzschild-Couder Gamma Ray Telescope

对极高能量伽马射线光的观测为宇宙中一些最具活力的环境提供了一个窗口，在这些环境中，伽马射线是在强引力场或磁场产生的极端条件下粒子加速产生的。 该奖项将支持为位于亚利桑那州VERITAS伽马射线观测站的地基伽马射线望远镜建造一个具有新颖光学设计的宽视场相机。这项新技术将大大提高地基成像大气切伦科夫望远镜的伽马射线天体物理学的光学性能。 下一代科学研究将通过该奖项得以实现，包括多波长观测和瞬态源的快速跟踪。 该相机和望远镜还将作为切伦科夫望远镜阵列的原型，切伦科夫望远镜阵列是一个国际财团正在开发的新的伽马射线天文台。 该奖项将为大量本科生提供综合研究和教育的机会。该相机的数据将用于Zooniverse平台上托管的公民科学项目。宽视场相机具有11，328个成像和读出电子通道，将安装在目前即将完成的原型Schwarzschild Couder望远镜上。它将提供8度视场的覆盖范围，允许对瞬变和多信使警报周围的天空进行快速观测，并充分利用Schwarzschild-Couder设计的光学性能。该望远镜将与现有的VERITAS阵列协同运行，提供交叉校准并增强两种仪器的科学能力。该奖项反映了NSF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。

Observations of very-high energy gamma-ray light offer a window on some of the most energetic environments in the Universe, where gamma-rays are produced as particles are accelerated under extreme conditions produced by strong gravitational or magnetic fields. This award will support the construction of a wide-field camera for a ground-based gamma-ray telescope with a novel optical design that is located on the site of the VERITAS gamma-ray observatory in Arizona. This new technology will dramatically improve the optical performance of ground-based Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes for gamma-ray astrophysics. Next generation scientific studies will be enabled through this award, including multi-wavelength observations, and rapid follow up of transient sources. The camera and telescope will also serve as a prototype for the Cherenkov Telescope Array, a new gamma-ray observatory under development by an international consortium. The award will provide the opportunity for integrated research and education for a large number of undergraduate students. Data from the camera will be used in citizen science projects hosted on the Zooniverse platform.The wide-field camera, featuring 11,328 channels of imaging and readout electronics, will be installed on a prototype Schwarzschild Couder telescope that is currently nearing completion in Arizona. It will provide coverage of an 8-degree field of view, allowing rapid observations of the sky around transient and multi-messenger alerts, and fully exploiting the optical performance of the Schwarzschild-Couder design. The telescope will be operated in concert with the existing VERITAS array, providing cross-calibration and enhancing the scientific capabilities of both instruments.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.