WoU-MMA: The Southern Wide-Field Gamma-Ray Observatory (SWGO): R&D for a Next-Generation Ground-Based Survey Instrument for Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy

随着中微子和引力波探测设施的成功开发，以及下一代伽马射线探测器的部署，未来十年将为多信使天文学提供丰富的机会。高海拔水切伦科夫(HAWC)伽马射线观测站是一台极其成功的测量仪器，它激发了中国雄心勃勃的努力，但它也将设在北半球。该项目将开展南半球下一代地面测量仪器--南方广域伽马射线观测站所需的基本研究和开发工作。这项工作还有助于保持美国在地面伽马射线仪器方面的领导地位。该团队致力于增加STEM劳动力的多样性和精益求精，并将继续努力为以非裔美国人为主的学生提供继续攻读物理和天文学研究生的途径。SWGO将建在一个讲西班牙语的国家，这将加强与西班牙裔社区的联系。一台测量仪器提供对可变来源的日常无偏监测，以及对其他仪器的近乎实时的警报，宽广的视野使其对当地银河社区的粒子加速器非常敏感。探测到附近脉冲星周围非常广泛的TeV伽马射线发射被解释为伽马射线的光晕，这些伽马射线是由电子和正电子与经典脉冲星风星云外部的环境星际辐射场相互作用产生的。SWGO将非常适合于以前所未有的细节研究粒子在其中的加速和传播。它还将使对银河系中心区域的研究成为可能，并为寻找和研究能量超过1PeV的宇宙射线源做出独特贡献。所有伽马射线数据将公之于众。在这个最初的SWGO奖项的支持下，该团队将专注于探测器模拟、空气簇射数据重建算法开发和电子设计。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With the successful development of facilities for the detection of neutrinos and gravitational waves, as well as the deployment of next-generation gamma-ray detectors, the next decade will provide a wealth of opportunities for multi-messenger astronomy. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) gamma-ray observatory is an extremely successful survey instrument, and has inspired an ambitious Chinese effort, but that will also be sited in the northern hemisphere. This project will be carrying out the essential research and development needed for a next-generation ground-based survey instrument in the southern hemisphere: the Southern Wide-Field Gamma-Ray Observatory (SWGO). The work also contributes to maintaining US leadership in ground-based gamma-ray instruments. The team is committed to increasing the diversity and excellence of the STEM workforce, and will continue efforts to provide a path for predominantly African-American students to continue to graduate school in physics and astronomy. SWGO will be built in a Spanish speaking country, which will enhance outreach to Hispanic communities.A survey instrument provides daily unbiased monitoring for variable sources, as well as near-real-time alerts to other instruments, and the wide field makes it sensitive to particle accelerators in the local Galactic neighborhood. The detection of very extended TeV gamma-ray emission around nearby pulsars is interpreted as halos of gamma rays that are produced by electrons and positrons interacting with the ambient interstellar radiation field outside the classical pulsar wind nebulae. SWGO will be ideally suited to study the acceleration and propagation of particles within them in unprecedented detail. It will also enable studies of the galactic center region and uniquely contribute to the search for and study of sources of cosmic rays with energies in excess of 1 PeV. All gamma-ray data will be made publicly available. Supported by this initial SWGO award the team will focus on detector simulation, air shower data reconstruction algorithm development, and electronics design.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.