研究期間：10108~10207;We propose to establish a Joint AS-NCU Center for Astroparticle Physics at the National Central University (NCU) which will serve as the Asian Payload Operation and Control Center (POCC) and Science Operation Center (SOC) for the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) international collaboration project. AMS is the first space-based Trillion-electron-Volt (TeV) scale high energy particle detector. It was successfully launched on May 16, 2011 and has since been collecting data at a rate of 50 million events per day. This is the first time scientists are able to directly observe and precisely measure the properties of high energy charged particles as well as the polarization of high energy photons in space. As a result, there is a good chance of major discoveries to be made by AMS. For example, the observation of single anti-Helium will imply the existence of a large amount of anti-nucleons in the early Universe which will revolutionize the conventional view of cosmology. AMS is the only large scale fundamental science experiment on the International Space Station (ISS). It is one of the most visible astroparticle physics experiment in space. Currently, the most prominent hints of new physics, the existence of dark matter and dark energy, rely on observations made in space. Astroparticle physics is likely to dominate the high energy particle physics research in the near future. Being a key member of the pioneering experiment AMS, Taiwan has a good start in space-based astroparticle physics research. This proposal is for us to grasp the opportunity to lead in this emerging field of research. Instrumentation is the key to success in fundamental researches in astronomy, in high energy physics and in astroparticle physics. We had spent 17 years participating in building AMS, especially in the electronics and the thermal system. The experience needs to be passed on and further developed. Moreover, AMS is the first time scientists operate a precision large aperture magnetic spectrometer in the 400 kilometer high orbit. The space environment encountered results in periodically changing trigger rates, time-dependent significant temperature variations over the detector support structures causing mechanical distortions, etc. Operating this pioneering precision magnetic spectrometer presents new challenges and the experience acquired is invaluable. Establishing an Instrumentation Division under the proposed Joint AS-NCU Center is forward looking and is essential for the success of our effort. In this proposal, we aim to build a team of astroparticle physicists and instrumentation scientists that will not only analyze the AMS data to search for new physics in the coming twenty years but also accumulate experience in operating the detector and develop technologies for use in the next generation of space-based high energy particle detectors.
