Nuclear, Particle, Astroparticle and Cosmology (NUPAC) Seminars
First results from surveying the TeV universe with HAWC
Presented by Robert Lauer (UNM)
The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory, located at an altitude of 4100 m near Puebla, Mexico, is nearing completion and has started taking data. This successor to the MILAGRO detector is being built and operated by an international collaboration including LANL and UNM. 1200 photo-multipliers in 300 light-proof water tanks will serve to measure extensive air showers induced by gamma rays with energies between 100 GeV and 100 TeV. With a daily coverage of 2/3 of the sky, HAWC will provide an unprecedented survey of galactic and extra-galactic TeV phenomena. A duty cycle close to 100% will allow HAWC to efficiently monitor the sky for transient sources like Gamma Ray Bursts or flaring Active Galactic Nuclei. HAWC data also provides access to other areas of particle-astrophysics, for example the cosmic ray anisotropy and dark matter annihilation.
In this talk I will discuss our efforts to build and operate HAWC and present the first results from more than 1 year of operation with a partial array.
2:00 pm, Tuesday, November 11, 2014
PAIS-2540, PAIS
Individuals with disabilities who need an auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in P&A events should contact the Physics Department (phone: 505-277-2616, email: physics@unm.edu) well in advance to ensure your needs are accomodated. Event handouts can be provided in alternative accessible formats upon request. Please contact the Physics front office if you need written information in an alternative format.
A schedule of talks within the Department of Physics and Astronomy is available on the P&A web site at http://physics.unm.edu/pandaweb/events/index.php