| Number | R8-6/ IPMU/ILANCE/ICRR joint seminar |
| Date&time | Wed. Sep 9, 2026, 15:00 – |
| Place | ICRR 6F Large seminar room Zoom: https://u-tokyo-ac-jp.zoom.us/j/91785978764?pwd=6b5HEz2bXFs3UxPndbSiNsXEAHH33d.1 |
| Speaker | Matthew Lundy (Columbia University) |
| Title | “Explorations of PeVatrons with VERITAS: Understanding galactic cosmic rays through the investigation of new mysterious TeV Sources.” |
| Abstract | Over the past century, significant progress has been made toward solving the mystery of the origin of cosmic rays. The cosmic-ray spectrum is now well-measured across more than 11 orders of magnitude in energy. However, at the highest energies (~PeV-EeV), features in the spectrum remain difficult to explain without invoking extremely powerful local accelerators, known as PeVatrons. These are rare sources that are capable of accelerating hadrons to PeV energies. Recent advancements in observational instruments have brought us closer to identifying these enigmatic sources. In particular, results from the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) have provided valuable insights and a “treasure trove” of candidate sources to explore in more detail in the TeV band. This talk will provide a brief overview of the PeVatron problem, highlight key findings from LHAASO, and discuss the critical role of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes in bridging the gap between water Cherenkov detectors and the broader astronomical community. A discussion of the recent work from VERITAS on a variety of LHAASO sources will be presented as well as some discussion of the future prospects for next generation IACTs. Details of some of the issues that extremely hard sources pose to the current generation of instruments will also be highlighted. |
