CAREER: WoU-MMA: PeVatrons and Beyond: Tackling the Century-old Problem with the New Messengers

Cosmic rays are charged particles composed of protons, helium, and heavier elements that travel at nearly the speed of light. They may carry energy above 1 Peta-electronvolt (PeV), well beyond the reach of man-made accelerators. A cosmic-ray source capable of accelerating protons up to the PeV energy is called a “PeVatron”. The nature of PeVatrons is among the most fundamental questions in Particle Astrophysics. This program aims to advance our understanding of PeVatrons through observational and theoretical studies. The research will be connected to educational outreach through activities including: (1) hosting a series of inter-disciplinary discussion events that serve as a bridge in connecting research areas in the physics, astronomy, and statistics programs at the PI’s institution; (2) engaging high school students in Madison, WI and nearby regions in hands-on classes that show how scientists use modern techniques to solve complicated physics problems; and (3) conducting outreach and mentoring activities to involve students in science. The team will analyze data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory (IceCube) and the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Gamma-ray Observatory (HAWC) using an efficient joint-analysis framework and new source-finding algorithms. They will also research the theory of cosmic ray sources by numerically simulating particle transport and interaction in cosmic environments. The award is aligned with the NSF Big Idea of Windows on the Universe: the Era of Multi-messenger Astrophysics as it coordinates the use of multi-messengers observations utilizing high energy gamma rays from HAWC with high energy neutrinos from IceCube and will improve theoretical modeling to better interpret the data. 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.