Development of polarization observation of cosmic high-energy gamma rays

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H01228
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 15020:Experimental studies related to particle-, nuclear-, cosmic ray and astro-physics
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Satoru 神戸大学, 人間発達環境学研究科, 特命助教 (40402432)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ガンマ線天文学 / マルチメッセンジャー天文学 / 気球実験 / 原子核乾板 / 多段シフター / タイムスタンプ / 偏光

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The 2018 balloon experiment, which achieved significant improvements in the telescope, achieved firm detection for the known gamma-ray object Vela Pulsar (> 80MeV), with an image spread of 0.51 degrees. This means that the point source spread (radius) is 6.3 times higher and the imaging resolution (solid angle) is 39 times higher than that of the conventional gamma-ray telescope. In addition, we have achieved the development of the first flight model of a new multi-stage shifter that realizes large-aperture-area and long flight duration, and made feedback into 2nd and 3rd flight model.

Free Research Field

素粒子宇宙物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2018年気球実験によって、世界最高解像度でのVelaパルサーの撮像実証を達成し、世界最高角度分解能を実現するエマルションガンマ線望遠鏡を確立した。また新型多段シフターの開発によって、大口径面積・長時間観測の展望を拓き、これまで有意な観測が実現していない高エネルギーガンマ線偏光観測をはじめとする科学観測気球実験の開始へとこぎつけた。