High Energy Isotropic diffuse Gamma-Ray Emission with HAWC

Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Seminar

Abstract:

In 2013, the IceCube collaboration announced discovery of a population of astrophysical neutrinos with energies up to a few PeV, consistent with isotropic arrival. The origin of these neutrinos is heavily debated and plausible scenarios include galactic and extragalactic astrophysical accelerators and annihilation of extremely massive dark matter, or some combination of mechanisms. It is very likely, whatever the origin of these neutrinos, their production will be accompanied by the production of gamma rays at similar energies. These gamma rays are observable if the sources of these neutrinos is within the gamma-ray horizon. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC) is sensitive to gamma rays up to 100 TeV and now has a year of data at full sensitivity. HAWC data will illuminate the origin of the IceCube neutrinos by observing or ruling out nearby accelerators. I will discuss the HAWC instrument and the efforts to identify large-scale isotropic gamma-ray emission.

Event Details

Date/Time:

  • Date: 
    Thursday, January 28, 2016 - 3:00pm to 4:00pm

Location:
Boggs 1-90 (CRA Visualization Lab)

For More Information Contact

Ignacio Taboada