Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2017
Volume 62, Number 1
Saturday–Tuesday, January 28–31, 2017; Washington, DC
Session R4: Missions, Instruments and Surveys |
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Sponsoring Units: DAP Chair: Mattia Di Mauro, SLAC National Laboratory Room: Virginia A |
Monday, January 30, 2017 10:45AM - 10:57AM |
R4.00001: An Account of Advances in Accessing “Discovery Space” Martin Harwit Our knowledge of the origin, early history, and evolution of the Universe, though necessarily based on physical and chemical processes confirmed in the laboratory, inevitably requires verification through direct astronomical observation. The range of potential observations, however, is limited by inherent cosmic features: For electromagnetic radiation, e.g., through erasure of information during early epochs when the cosmic plasma was opaque; for cosmic rays through the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz’min cut-off. I will take stock of the progress astronomers have made in accessing “discovery space” --- the range of observations permitted despite such inherent cosmic limits --- to provide an account of the rates at which realizable observations have accumulated over recent decades, while also highlighting work remaining to be done and areas in which progress has been thwarted. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, January 30, 2017 10:57AM - 11:09AM |
R4.00002: AugerPrime: the upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory Frederic Sarazin The nature and origin of ultra-high energy cosmic-rays (UHECRs) remain largely a mystery despite a wealth of new information obtained in recent years at the Pierre Auger Observatory and elsewhere. Mass composition studies performed at Auger appear to challenge the historical view that the UHECR primaries (at least for energies greater than 10$^{\mathrm{19\thinspace }}$eV) are all protons, and the observation of a GZK-like flux suppression in the cosmic-ray spectrum is counterbalanced by the absence of point source observations and the relatively weak anisotropy of the UHECR sky. In order to resolve this apparent contradiction, the Pierre Auger collaboration is embarking in an upgrade of the Observatory (``AugerPrime'') with the goal of extending the mass composition measurements beyond the observed flux suppression. In this presentation, the science case for the upgrade and its technical realization will be described and discussed especially with regards to the existence of GZK photons and neutrinos. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, January 30, 2017 11:09AM - 11:21AM |
R4.00003: ABSTRACT WITHDRAWN |
Monday, January 30, 2017 11:21AM - 11:33AM |
R4.00004: IceCube Gen2: The Next Generation of Neutrino Astronomy Erik Blaufuss The observations of an astrophysical flux of neutrinos by the IceCube neutrino observatory signaled the start of the era of neutrino astronomy. While the source of these astrophysical neutrinos remains unclear, many strong constraints have already been made. Unfortunately, the limits of the current detector are becoming clear and the design of the next generation of Antarctic neutrino observatory is well underway. The IceCube-Gen2 high-energy array will instrument a $\sim\!10\,\,\mathrm{km}^3$ volume of clear glacial ice at the South Pole to deliver substantially larger astrophysical samples of all neutrino flavors. This contribution will highlight the science case and detector sensitivity studies performed in the design process. Additionally, astrophysical neutrino sensitivity can be increased by the addition of an extensive surface detector to identify and reject atmospheric backgrounds originating from the southern hemisphere. This large detector, in combination with the existing IceCube neutrino observatory and the rest of the IceCube-Gen2 facility, will be the flagship experiment of the new field of neutrino astronomy. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, January 30, 2017 11:33AM - 11:45AM |
R4.00005: A future wide field-of-view TeV gamma-ray observatory in the Southern Hemisphere Miguel Mostafa High-energy gamma-ray observations are an essential probe of cosmic-ray acceleration. Detection of the highest energies and the shortest timescales of variability are key motivations when designing the next generation of gamma-ray experiments. The Milagro experiment was the first-generation of gamma-ray detectors based on the water-Cherenkov technique, and demonstrated that it is possible to continuously monitor a large fraction of the TeV sky. The second-generation water-Cherenkov experiment, the High Altitude Water Cherenkov observatory, consists of an array of 300 water-Cherenkov detectors covering an area of 22,000 m$^2$ at 4,100 m a.s.l. The larger effective area, the higher altitude, and the optical isolation of the detectors led to a 15-fold increase in sensitivity relative to Milagro. Instruments with a wide field of view and large duty cycle are capable of surveying the TeV sky, mapping the diffuse emission, detecting emission from extended regions, and observing transient events such as gamma ray bursts. They also have the potential for discovering electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational waves and astrophysical neutrinos. I will present the preliminary design of a third-generation water-Cherenkov observatory located at very high altitude in South America. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, January 30, 2017 11:45AM - 11:57AM |
R4.00006: The Extreme Universe Space Observatory Super Pressure Balloon Mission Lawrence Wiencke, Angela Olinto, Jim Adams The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a super pressure balloon (EUSO-SPB) mission will make the first fluorescence observations of high energy cosmic ray extensive air showers by looking down on the atmosphere from near space. A long duration flight of at least 50 nights launched from Wanaka NZ is planned for 2017. We describe completed instrument, and the planned mission. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, January 30, 2017 11:57AM - 12:09PM |
R4.00007: Development of low-noise kinetic inductance detectors for far-infrared astrophysics Alyssa Barlis, Steven Hailey-Dunsheath, Charles M. Bradford, Christopher McKenney, Henry G. Le Duc, James Aguirre The star formation mechanisms at work in the early universe remain one of the major unsolved problems of modern astrophysics. Many spectral lines at far-infrared wavelengths ($10~\mu\rm{m} < \lambda < 1~\rm{mm}$) are excellent tracers of star formation, but detecting them requires the next generation of sensitive detectors. We are working to develop a detector system for a far-infrared balloon-borne spectroscopic experiment using kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs), which have the potential to achieve high sensitivity, low noise levels, high multiplexing factor, and may enable future space missions. We describe the design, fabrication, and noise performance measurements of prototype detector devices targeting an optical noise equivalent power below $1\times10^{-17}\,\rm W\,Hz^{-1/2}$ with readout frequencies below 250 MHz. The devices consist of arrays of 45 lumped-element KID pixels patterned out of thin-film aluminum on silicon wafers. They are optically coupled to incident radiation with a set of feedhorns. We use an FPGA-based readout system to read out the response of all the pixels in the array simultaneously. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, January 30, 2017 12:09PM - 12:21PM |
R4.00008: Status of the Micro-X Sounding Rocket Telescope David Goldfinger Micro-X is a sounding rocket borne X-ray telescope that uses Transition Edge Sensor microcalorimeters to provide superior energy resolution. Micro-X has a variety of applications with plans to observe the Puppis A supernova remnant during its first flight, as well as future observations of the Milky Way to search for X-ray signals from decaying dark matter. Commissioning and functionality testing are complete and this project is now in the calibration and performance optimization phase. We present an overview of the instrument and an update on ongoing progress in preparation for the upcoming launch. [Preview Abstract] |
Monday, January 30, 2017 12:21PM - 12:33PM |
R4.00009: Prospects for Sterile Neutrino Observations with the Micro-X Sounding Rocket Antonia Hubbard The Micro-X sounding rocket uses a Transition Edge Sensor (TES) array to make X-ray observations. The improved energy resolution of TESs compared to traditional space-based X-ray detectors brings new precision to both supernova observations and the X-ray search for sterile neutrino dark matter. Current X-ray observations disagree over the potential presence of a 3.5 keV X-ray line consistent with a sterile neutrino interaction, and Micro-X is in a unique position to establish or refute the presence of this line. We present the design considerations of the instrument and expectations for flight observations, with special emphasis given to the prospects of sterile neutrino studies.~ [Preview Abstract] |
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