Gamma-ray astrophysics with VERITAS

这项申请是为了资助麦吉尔参与VERITAS伽马射线天文学项目。VERITAS是世界三大伽马射线天文探测器之一。它由四个大型望远镜组成，旨在探测高能电子和正电子在高层大气中相互作用时产生的高能电子和正电子发出的紫外线和蓝光。这种伽马射线是在超新星遗迹和活动星系核等极端环境中产生的。也可能有伽马射线来自更奇怪的来源，如星系核心中暗物质粒子的湮灭或原始黑洞的蒸发。因此，它们可以在地球上的加速器上无法探测到的能量上提供粒子物理学的线索。Veritas阵列于2007年在亚利桑那州南部完成，并于同年9月开始进行四个望远镜的观测。到目前为止，我们已经发现了几种新的高能量来源，并对其他已知的能源进行了改进测量。我们利用X射线、光学和射电望远镜以及新发射的(2008年)费米伽马射线空间望远镜的数据参加了多波长活动，该望远镜覆盖的伽马射线能量范围略低于VERITAS的敏感区。Veritas探测器已经达到并超过了所有设计规格，我们即将开始升级计划，使其更加灵敏。根据头两年的产出，我们预计会有一段时间的高科学生产率和许多令人振奋的新成果。

This application is for funding to support McGill participation in the VERITAS gamma-ray astronomy project. VERITAS is one of three major gamma-ray astronomy detectors world-wide. It consists of an array of four large telescopes designed to detect ultraviolet and blue light emitted by the energetic electrons and positrons produced when high-energy astrophysical gamma rays interact in the upper atmosphere. Such gamma rays are produced in extreme environments such as supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei. There may also be gamma rays which come from more exotic origins such as annihilation of dark-matter particles in the cores of galaxies or from evaporation of primordial black holes. As such, they could provide clues to particle physics at energies beyond what can be probed at earth-bound accelerators. The VERITAS array was completed in 2007 in southern Arizona and began four-telescope observations in September of that year. So far we have discovered several new high energy sources and have made improved measurements on others that were already known. We have participated in multi-wavelength campaigns with data from X-ray, optical and radio telescopes, as well as the newly launched (2008) Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope which covers the gamma-ray energy range just below that where VERITAS is sensitive. The VERITAS detector has met and exceeded all design specifications and we are about to begin an upgrade program to make it even more sensitive. Based on the output from the first two years we expect a period of high scientific productivity and many exciting new results.