High Energy Neutrinos and Photons from Gamma-Ray Bursts and Active Galaxies

AST-0307376

Meszaros

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and active galactic nuclei (AGN) are natural accelerators capable of producing very high energy particles, but understanding of their physics remains sketchy. The investigators will study high-energy neutrino and photon emission from inelastic nuclear collisions and photo-meson interactions in GRBs and AGN sources. A new generation of experiments will soon be able to measure the flux and spectrum of these particles, which provide unique signatures that can be used to test and constrain models. The present research will identify the key distinguishing features of the models, and will help to optimize planned experiments.

The work is relevant to many areas of high-energy astrophysics, and will test basic particle properties in regimes outside the reach of terrestrial experiments, and with an accuracy many orders of magnitude better than is currently possible.