The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern sky
The ALPACA experiment is a project aiming to observe sub-PeV gamma rays for the first time in the southern hemisphere. The main goal of ALPACA is to identify PeVatrons, the accelerators of Galactic PeV cosmic rays, by observing sub-PeV pion-decay gamma rays generated in interactions between PeV cosm...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SciPost
2023-09-01
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| Series: | SciPost Physics Proceedings |
| Online Access: | https://scipost.org/SciPostPhysProc.13.008 |
| _version_ | 1797671597140606976 |
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| author | Teruyoshi Kawashima for the ALPACA Collaboration |
| author_facet | Teruyoshi Kawashima for the ALPACA Collaboration |
| author_sort | Teruyoshi Kawashima for the ALPACA Collaboration |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ALPACA experiment is a project aiming to observe sub-PeV gamma rays for the first time in the southern hemisphere. The main goal of ALPACA is to identify PeVatrons, the accelerators of Galactic PeV cosmic rays, by observing sub-PeV pion-decay gamma rays generated in interactions between PeV cosmic rays and the interstellar medium. This new air shower experiment is located at an altitude of 4,740 m above sea level in the middle of Mt. Chacaltaya in Bolivia. The air shower array consists of 401 scintillation counters covering an 83,000 m$^2$ surface area. In addition, a water-Cherenkov-type muon detector array with an area of 3,700 m$^2$ is installed to discriminate gamma rays from background cosmic rays. The prototype array ALPAQUITA will start data taking in 2022 and will extend to ALPACA in 2024. We report on a general introduction to ALPACA, the progress of the project, and the sensitivity to sub-PeV gamma rays. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:17:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-58a1352bf1bb40fab97a5946cf61aecb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-4003 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:17:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | SciPost |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SciPost Physics Proceedings |
| spelling | doaj.art-58a1352bf1bb40fab97a5946cf61aecb2023-09-28T12:17:55ZengSciPostSciPost Physics Proceedings2666-40032023-09-011300810.21468/SciPostPhysProc.13.008The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern skyTeruyoshi Kawashima for the ALPACA CollaborationThe ALPACA experiment is a project aiming to observe sub-PeV gamma rays for the first time in the southern hemisphere. The main goal of ALPACA is to identify PeVatrons, the accelerators of Galactic PeV cosmic rays, by observing sub-PeV pion-decay gamma rays generated in interactions between PeV cosmic rays and the interstellar medium. This new air shower experiment is located at an altitude of 4,740 m above sea level in the middle of Mt. Chacaltaya in Bolivia. The air shower array consists of 401 scintillation counters covering an 83,000 m$^2$ surface area. In addition, a water-Cherenkov-type muon detector array with an area of 3,700 m$^2$ is installed to discriminate gamma rays from background cosmic rays. The prototype array ALPAQUITA will start data taking in 2022 and will extend to ALPACA in 2024. We report on a general introduction to ALPACA, the progress of the project, and the sensitivity to sub-PeV gamma rays.https://scipost.org/SciPostPhysProc.13.008 |
| spellingShingle | Teruyoshi Kawashima for the ALPACA Collaboration The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern sky SciPost Physics Proceedings |
| title | The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern sky |
| title_full | The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern sky |
| title_fullStr | The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern sky |
| title_full_unstemmed | The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern sky |
| title_short | The ALPACA experiment: The project of the first sub-PeV gamma-ray observation in the southern sky |
| title_sort | alpaca experiment the project of the first sub pev gamma ray observation in the southern sky |
| url | https://scipost.org/SciPostPhysProc.13.008 |
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