WoU-MMA: Multi-Messenger Astrophysics with HAWC

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。高海拔水切伦科夫（HAWC）天文台位于墨西哥内格拉山脉的斜坡上，是一个地面设施，具有独特的观测高能伽马射线的能力。该奖项支持马里兰大学帕克分校的科学家在天文台的运作和对HAWC数据的科学分析中发挥领导作用。该小组将继续开展活动，以优化天文台的灵敏度，并对瞬态伽玛射线源和新发现的高能源进行科学研究。该奖项将使该组织能够继续并扩大其外联工作，其中包括向西班牙裔美国人社区提供与HAWC有关的双语产品。凭借其巨大的瞬时视场和持续的操作，HAWC每天都对三分之二的天空进行调查。马里兰大学的研究小组将继续用HAWC研究瞬态源，作为多信使和多波长运动的一部分。他们还将继续制作地图并进行调查，以发现新的高能伽马射线源。此外，他们将继续努力开发新的水切伦科夫探测技术，以提高HAWC的灵敏度。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 High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory, located on the slopes of the Sierra Negra in Mexico, is a ground-based facility designed with unique capabilities to observe very high energy gamma-rays. This award supports scientists at the University of Maryland College Park in their leadership roles in the operation of the observatory and in the scientific analysis of the HAWC data. The group will continue activities to optimize the sensitivity of the observatory and pursue scientific research on transient gamma-ray sources and newly discovered very high energy sources. This award will allow the group to continue and expand their outreach efforts, which include outreach to the Hispanic-American community with bi-lingual products related to HAWC. With its large instantaneous field of view and continuous operations HAWC surveys two-thirds of the sky every day. The University of Maryland group will continue their study of transient sources with HAWC as part of a multi-messenger and multi-wavelength campaign. They will also continue their work producing maps and conducting surveys to reveal new high energy gamma-ray sources. In addition, they will continue to lead the effort to exploit the novel water Cherenkov detection technique to improve the sensitivity of HAWC.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.