1992 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Observation of Celestial Gamma-ray Objects with Imaging Cerenkov Telescope
| Project/Area Number |
02302017
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (A)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
核・宇宙線・素粒子
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| Research Institution | Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
KIFUNE Tadashi Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Associate Professor, 宇宙線研究所, 助教授 (40011621)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
HARA Tadao Yuge National College of Maritime Technology, Professor, 教授 (60013413)
MATSUBARA Yutaka Nagoya University, Institute for Solar Terrestrial Enviroments, Professor, 太陽地球環境研究所, 助教授 (80202323)
OGIO Shouichi Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Research Associate, 理学部, 助手 (20242258)
TANIMORI Toru Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Associate Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (10179856)
TESHIMA Masahiro Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Associate Professor, 宇宙線研究所, 助教授 (40197778)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1990 – 1992
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| Keywords | High energy gamma-ray astronomy / Imaging Cerenkov telescope / Cerenkov light / Gamma-Ray Pulsars / Acceleration of cosmic rays / Origin of cosmic rays / Gamma-ray stars / High energy phenomena in the universe |
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| Research Abstract |
Observation of very high energy gamma-rays is the last frontier in astronomy. The present research was commenced with a purpose to construct a telescope for detecting energetic gamma-rays at 1000 GeV=1TeV,and then to add more observational data in this energy region from various celestial objects. (1) We transported a 3.8 m parabolic telescope to Australia. By setting a camera of 220 photomultiplier tubes which has the current highest resolution and by adding a system of electronics circuits and a computer, an imaging Cerenkov telescope was made into operation. The apparatus has an angular resolution of -0.1ﾟ with a capability of reducing cosmic ray background by a factor of about 100. Observation has been done aiming at young pulsars, supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei which are known to emit gamma-rays at GeV energies. (2) A signal of TeV gamma-rays was detected from PSR1706-44. It is the first indication of TeV gamma-rays from this object, making it the second Galactic TeV gamma-ray emitter next to the Crab. (3) An evidence of gamma-rays of 6 TeV was found also from the Crab pulsar/nebula, which enables us to calibrate the characteristics of the telescope in comparison with the one of the Whipple Observatory in USA,as well as to provide with new data on this object. With these results, we could start a step toward our final goal of establishing very high energy gamma-ray astronomy. The observation is still under way, and we expect more observational data from many other objects.
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