Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2019
Volume 64, Number 3
Saturday–Tuesday, April 13–16, 2019; Denver, Colorado
Session H08: Next Generation Cosmic Ray Observatories |
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Sponsoring Units: DAP Chair: Tonia Venters, NASA GSFC Room: Sheraton Governor's Square 10 |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 10:45AM - 10:57AM |
H08.00001: Auger at Telescope Array (Auger@TA) Surface Detector Cross-Calibration Jeff Johnsen, Frederic Sarazin Auger@TA is a joint experimental in-situ cross-calibration of the surface detector (SD) stations used by the two largest ultra-high energy cosmic-ray (UHECR) observatories, Pierre Auger Observatory (Auger) in the southern hemisphere and the Telescope Array (TA) in the northern hemisphere. In both collaborations, the SD is the statistical engine which is used to measure the cosmic-ray energy spectrum. These measurements differ noticeably at the highest energies, within the limits of their systematic uncertainties. The two observatories utilize SD station detection media which have different response sensitivities to the components of an UHECR extensive air shower. The initial phase of the program has co-located Auger and TA SD stations within the TA site to perform a direct comparison of these two SD types which underpin important measurements. Data taking is ongoing, comparing station responses for high energy showers which pass the TA SD trigger. Preliminary results are presented and compared to simulation results using the TA reconstruction parameters. The second phase of the program will deploy six additional Auger SD stations in a small array, allowing direct in-situ comparison of the two shower measurement and reconstruction methods. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 10:57AM - 11:09AM |
H08.00002: The Non-Imaging Cherenkov Array (NICHE): First Analyses Douglas Rolf Bergman, Yoshiki Tsunesada, John F Krizmanic The Non-Imaging Cherenkov Array (NICHE) is co-sited with the Telescope Array Low Energy extension (TALE), and together they form the world's first hybrid imaging/non-imaging air-Cherenkov detector for cosmic rays. The 14-counter NICHE array was deployed in September 2017 and September 2018. Details of the construction and deployment of the detector will be presented along with the first analyses of the commissioning first-light data. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 11:09AM - 11:21AM |
H08.00003: Results from the Fluoresence detector Array of Single-pixel Telescopes (FAST) at Telescope Array John M Farmer The Fluorescence detector Array of Single-pixel Telescopes (FAST) is an R\&D project for the next generation of cosmic ray detectors aimed at addressing the hardware needs for instrumenting a huge area at a low cost to observe the most energetic Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs). The FAST telescope features four 8\,in PMTs covering a 30\times30^\circ field of view at the focal plane of a 1.6\,m segmented mirror. A first test of FAST, consisting of three telescopes covering an area 90 degrees in azimuth, has been assembled at the Black Rock Mesa site of the Telescope Array (TA) experiment in Utah, where it observes a shared field of view with the TA FD. Stations have been remotely operated since their assembly beginning in 2016, demonstrating stable operation under the high background conditions of FAST as well as observation of ultraviolet laser shots and UHECRs in coincidence with the TA FD. We discuss results from FAST at TA, including detection of UHECR stereo events, stability and monitoring of the telescopes, and top-down reconstruction of the highest-energy events using TA geometry, as well as plans for future testing of the FAST design at the site of the Pierre Auger Observatory. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 11:21AM - 11:33AM |
H08.00004: The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon II Mission Lawrence R Wiencke The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super Pressure Balloon II Mission (EUSO-SPB2) will measure PeV and EeV scale cosmic rays, study optical backgrounds that could mimic tau neutrino interactions in the Earth's limb, and search for optical signatures consistent with the upward-going candidate events that Anita reported. EUSO-SPB2 is also a precursor for a next generation space observatory for multi-messenger astrophysics. The EUSO-SPB2 payload, now in the design and fabrication stage, will feature a pair of optical telescopes with 1 meter diameter apertures. The Fluorescence Telescope will have sensitivity in the UV to target extensive air showers at EeV energies. The Cherenkov Telescope will have UV/VIS sensitivity to target Cherenkov emission from air showers at PeV energies. The planned launch date is 2022. We will discuss the mission, the instrument, and the current status. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 11:33AM - 11:45AM |
H08.00005: The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon II Mission: Simulations George Filippatos, Johannes Eser, Frederic Sarazin The Extreme Universe Space Observatory Super-Pressure Balloon II (EUSO-SPB2) long-duration balloon-based cosmic-ray experiment is in preparation. A science payload of two telescopes will measure ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs, EeV scale) via fluorescence and high-energy cosmic rays (PeV scale) via direct Cherenkov radiation. In addition, the Cherenkov telescope will measure the background for future neutrino observations from a space-based experiment, such as the Probe of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA) mission. To establish an expected event rate for the fluorescence telescope, extensive air showers and the response of the detector to these showers have been simulated. From these simulations, expected triggered event and reconstructable event rates are being estimated. Finally, the effects of different telescope elevation angles are being studied to maximize the number of reconstructable UHECRs as a function of energy. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 11:45AM - 11:57AM |
H08.00006: Mini-EUSO Laser Test Viktoria Kungel, Lawrence R Wiencke Placed in the Russian Zvezda module of the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019, the Mini-EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory) will measure earth's UV emission. Using a $1\ \text{Mhz}$ multi-anode photomultiplier camera and a $20\ \text{cm}$ diameter Fresnel Lens system, Mini-EUSO is sensitive to cosmic rays above $10^{21}\ \text{eV}$. The spatial resolution of Mini-EUSO is $6.11\ \text{km}$ and a temporal resolution $2.5\ \mu\text{s}$ with a field of view of $44^o$ in each direction.
A mobile high-power UV laser system will be used to test the expected energy threshold of Mini-EUSO. The laser emits pulsed $355\ \text{nm} $ UV light in the selectable energy range of $0.2$ to $90\ \text{mJ} $ to simulate the optical signature of an extensive air shower around $10^{18.5}$ to $10^{21}\ \text{eV}$.
Laser calibration methods and simulations are being prepared for the upcoming field campaign. The laser's energy calibration factor is stable within $5\ \% $. The characteristics of the laser system and Mini-EUSO have been implemented inside the JEM-EUSO OffLine software framework and can be used to simulate the detector response. The laser will not be aimed at the ISS, but instead aimed across the field of view of Mini-EUSO to produce a track. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 11:57AM - 12:09PM |
H08.00007: The Heavy Nuclei eXplorer John W Mitchell The Heavy Nuclei eXplorer (HNX) will investigate the nature of the reservoirs of nuclei at the cosmic-ray sources, the mechanisms by which nuclei are removed from the reservoirs and injected into the cosmic accelerators, and the acceleration mechanism. HNX will use two large high-precision instruments, the Extremely-heavy Cosmic-ray Composition Observer (ECCO) and the Cosmic-ray Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder (CosmicTIGER), flying in the SpaceX DragonLab, to measure, for the first time, the abundance of every individual element in the periodic table from carbon through the actinides, providing the first measurement of many of these elements. HNX will measure several thousand ultra-heavy galactic cosmic ray (UHGCR) nuclei Z≥30, including about 50 actinides, and will: determine whether GCR are accelerated from new or old material, and find their age; measure the mix of nucleosynthesis processes responsible for the UHGCRs; determine how UHGCR elements are selected for acceleration, and measure the mean integrated pathlength traversed by UHGCRs before observation. The scientific motivation and instrument complement of HNX will be discussed.
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Sunday, April 14, 2019 12:09PM - 12:21PM |
H08.00008: POEMMA: Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics John F Krizmanic Selected as a NASA Astrophysics probe study, the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA) is designed to identify the sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) and to observe cosmic neutrinos. POEMMA consists of two Schmidt telescopes each using a novel focal plane optimized to observe both the UV fluorescence signal from extensive air showers (EAS) and the optical Cherenkov signals from EAS. The POEMMA telescopes will fly in a loose formation at 525 km altitude and employ two different observing modes. In UHECR stereo mode, POEMMA will measure the spectrum, composition, and full-sky distribution of the UHECRs above 30 EeV to identify and study the most energetic cosmic accelerators in the universe. In neutrino mode, POEMMA will be sensitive to cosmic tau neutrinos above 20 PeV by observing the upward-moving EAS induced from tau neutrino interactions in the Earth. POEMMA is designed to quickly re-orient to a Target-of-Opportunity (ToO) neutrino mode to view transient astrophysical sources with unique sensitivity. In this talk, the science goals, instrument & mission designs, and simulated UHECR and neutrino measurement capabilities of POEMMA will be presented. |
Sunday, April 14, 2019 12:21PM - 12:33PM |
H08.00009: AugerPrime: An Upgrade to the Pierre Auger Observatory Corbin E Covault The Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory is the world's largest experiment for the detection of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) in the energy range above 1018 eV. Auger has operated continuously since 2004 and has provided important new results for the energy spectrum, arrival directions, and energy-dependent composition information of UHECRs. While results from Auger place important constraints on the nature and origin of the highest energy cosmic rays, several key question remain unresolved. |
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