Description:

Title: Galactic Very High Energy Astrophysics

Speaker: Alexis Popkow, UCLA
 

Abstract:

Despite being discovered over a hundred years ago, the origin of cosmic rays has remained a mystery. Recent clues suggest that a large number are accelerated in supernova remnants. The Cygnus region is a very active region of our Galaxy, with many sources of GeV and TeV gamma-ray emission, such as supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, and massive star clusters. A detailed study of the Cygnus region can give insight into the processes of particle acceleration in astrophysical sources, and the nature of cosmic rays. VERITAS (Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) is an array of four 12 meter diameter imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes located at Mt Hopkins, AZ, USA. From 2007 through 2012 it gathered nearly 300 hours of data in the Cygnus region from 67 to 82 degrees Galactic longitude and from -1 to 4 degrees in Galactic latitude. We are reanalyzing the VERITAS data with updated analysis techniques, and will be cross correlating that data with the results of an analysis of over five years of Fermi-LAT data in the region. Using a cross correlation of these results we can motivate continued observations in this active region of the Galaxy.

Keywords: Physics, Astronomy, HEP