RUI: WoU-MMA: VERITAS Analysis Software and Active Galaxy Discovery Science

RUI：WoU-MMA：VERITAS 分析软件和活跃星系发现科学

• 批准号: 2310000
• 负责人: Jodi Christiansen
• 金额: $ 29.2万
• 依托单位: California Polytechnic State University Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2310000&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; WoU; MMA; VERITAS; Analysis

Astrophysical gamma-rays are the highest energy form of electromagnetic radiation, and their observations provide the ability to study physical conditions and processes in the most extreme environments throughout the Universe. The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope System (VERITAS), located at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona, is designed to provide leading ground-based observations of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-rays. This award supports scientists at the California Polytechnic State University to carry out research with VERITAS and the co-located Cherekov Telescope Array prototype Schwartzchild-Couder Telescope (pSCT). The group will conduct analyses of VERITAS data to improve the understanding of VHE gamma-rays produced in active galaxies, which are favored sources of multiple astronomical messengers. The supported team of undergraduate researchers will develop and apply extensions of the VERITAS detection algorithms to conduct target-of-opportunity observations, including those associated with high-energy astrophysical neutrino alerts and contemporaneous observations of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with the Event Horizon Telescope. In addition, the group will partner with the Center for Engineering, Science and Mathematics Education to connect with high school teachers in the state via a dedicated curriculum that builds scientific abilities through investigations of spectra and active galaxy morphology. VERITAS and the pSCT utilize imaging Cherenkov telescopes to provide high-sensitivity pointed VHE (100 GeV – 30 TeV) gamma-ray observations of galactic and extragalactic sources. AGNs harbor a super-massive black hole at their core surrounded by an accretion disk and are of particular interest in VHE gamma-ray studies. Little is yet known about the interaction between the accretion disk and the black hole, which can produce some of the Universe's most powerful beamed jets of highly energetic particles and radiation. Combining the measurements of VHE gamma-rays with multi-messenger observations of neutrinos and cosmic rays makes it possible to extend AGN science to constrain current models of acceleration processes. This project advances the goals of the NSF Windows on the Universe Big Idea.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.

天体物理伽马射线是电子辐射的最高能量形式，它们的观察结果提供了研究整个宇宙中最极端环境中的身体状况和过程的能力。位于亚利桑那州南部弗雷德·劳伦斯·惠普天文台的非常能量辐射成像望远镜系统（VERITAS）旨在提供非常高能量（VHE）伽马射线的领先地面观测。该奖项支持加利福尼亚理工大学的科学家与Veritas和共同位置的Cherekov望远镜阵列原型Schwartzchild-Couder望远镜（PSCT）进行研究。该小组将对Veritas数据进行分析，以提高对活跃星系中产生的VHE伽马射线的理解，这是多个天文信使的偏爱来源。受支持的本科研究人员团队将开发和应用Veritas检测算法的扩展，以进行目标的目标观察，包括与活动视野远程望远镜相关的高能天体物理神经警报和现代现代银河系核（AGN）的现代观测。此外，该小组将与工程，科学和数学教育中心合作，通过专门的课程与该州的高中教师建立联系，该课程通过调查光谱和主动星系形态来建立科学能力。 Veritas和PSCT利用成像Cherenkov望远镜提供了高敏性尖头VHE（100 GEV - 30 TEV）的Gamma-ray观测值，对银河系和外层面来源。 Agns在其核心上藏有一个超级质量的黑洞，周围环绕着积聚磁盘，并且在VHE伽马射线研究中特别感兴趣。关于吸积盘和黑洞之间的相互作用知之甚少，这可以产生宇宙最强大的高能颗粒和辐射的射击。将VHE伽玛射线的测量与对神经元和宇宙射线的多通间观测结果相结合，使扩展AGN科学以限制当前加速过程模型成为可能。该项目促进了NSF Windows在宇宙大概念上的目标。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的审查标准来诚实地通过评估来诚实地支持。