High Energy Astrophysics with STACEE

STACEE 的高能天体物理学

• 批准号: 0244809
• 负责人: Reshmi Mukherjee
• 金额: $ 30.26万
• 依托单位: Barnard College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-08-01 至 2007-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0244809&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Energy; Astrophysics; STACEE

This proposal requests funds to support the Barnard College group in expanding their efforts in the STACEE project. STACEE (Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment) is a ground-based detector sensitive to gamma-rays in the energy range between 50 and 1000 GeV. Gamma-ray observations provide one of the most direct ways to learn about the highest energy astrophysical accelerators in the Universe. By studying sources of very high-energy (VHE) radiation, one may glimpse astrophysical situations in which physics operates under extreme conditions of gravitational or magnetic fields. A unique feature of STACEE is that it operates at energies below 250 GeV, a regime that is out of the scope of current atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (ACTs). Due to its low energy threshold, STACEE will be able to observe AGN and GRBs out to redshifts of Z ~ 1. The construction of STACEE started in 1997 and is now complete. Results obtained during the construction phase have been very encouraging. The Crab nebula was detected in 1998 with a significance of greater than six standard deviations and the active galaxy Markarian 421 was detected in 2001 during an outburst. During the 2001 campaign, STACEE was the only instrument to detect the source at energies below 250 GeV, an important region in the spectral energy distribution of the source. Prior NSF funding was used to support the PI's participation in STACEE, particularly in the calibration system and analysis efforts. Funding is now requested, at a time when STACEE is functioning as an observatory, to support a graduate student and to enable the PI to make a major contribution to the project, including: 1) participating in the observing program, 2) playing a leading role in the development of the data analysis, 3) obtaining scientific results using new observational data, and 4) maintaining the laser calibration system.Broader Impact: This research has broader impact on several areas outside of particle astrophysics. Areas of broader impact include (1) the use of heliostats to support remote sensing for earth-viewing satellites, (2) design and implementation of new types of non-imaging optical systems, (3) the development of mirror measurement techniques for solar energy applications, and (4) software development for high-speed data acquisition. Finally, the PI has been involved in outreach efforts to K-12 students and the broader public. Activities have included public lectures, week-long activities for K-12 students (summer schools) and individual student mentorships.

该提案要求资金支持巴纳德学院集团在Stacee项目中扩大他们的努力。 Stacee（太阳能大气Cherenkov效应实验）是一种基于地面的检测器，对50至1000 GEV的能量范围内的伽马射线敏感。伽马射线观测提供了了解宇宙中最高能量天体加速器的最直接方法之一。通过研究非常高能量（VHE）辐射的来源，可以瞥见物理物体在重力或磁场极端条件下运行的天体物理情况。 Stacee的一个独特特征是它以低于250 GEV的能量运行，这是一个超出当前大气Cherenkov望远镜（ACTS）范围的政权。 由于其低能阈值，Stacee将能够观察AGN和GRBS Z〜1的红移。Stacee的构造始于1997年，现已完成。在施工阶段获得的结果非常令人鼓舞。 1998年检测到蟹状星云，其显着性大于六个标准偏差，并在2001年爆发期间检测到活跃的星系421。在2001年的运动中，史黛斯是唯一一种检测到250 GEV的能源的工具，这是源源的光谱能量分布中的重要区域。 以前的NSF资金用于支持PI参与Stacee，尤其是在校准系统和分析工作中。现在，在史黛西（Stacee）充当观测站的时候，现在要求提供资金，以支持研究生并使PI对项目做出重大贡献，包括：1）参与观察计划，2）在数据分析的发展中发挥领先作用，3）使用新的观测数据以及4）范围内的劳动范围的范围来获得科学效果。天体物理学。更广泛影响的领域包括（1）使用HelioStats支持地球观看卫星的遥感，（2）新型非成像光学系统的设计和实施，（3）用于太阳能应用的镜像测量技术的开发以及（4）高速数据获取的软件开发。最后，PI参与了K-12学生和更广泛的公众的推广工作。活动包括公开讲座，为K-12学生（暑期学校）的为期一周的活动和个人指导。