The Southern Wide-Field Gamma-Ray Observatory (SWGO): A Next-Generation Ground-Based Survey Instrument for VHE Gamma-Ray Astronomy

Abstract

We describe plans for the development of the Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO), a next-generation instrument with sensitivity to the very-high-energy (VHE) band to be constructed in the Southern Hemisphere. SWGO will provide wide-field coverage of a large portion of the southern sky, effectively complementing current and future instruments in the global multi-messenger effort to understand extreme astrophysical phenomena throughout the universe. A detailed description of science topics addressed by SWGO is available in the science case white paper [1]. The development of SWGO will draw on extensive experience within the community in designing, constructing, and successfully operating wide-field instruments using observations of extensive air showers. The detector will consist of a compact inner array of particle detection units surrounded by a sparser outer array. A key advantage of the design of SWGO is that it can be constructed using current, already proven technology. We estimate a construction cost of 54M USD and a cost of 7.5M USD for 5 years of operation, with an anticipated US contribution of 20M USD ensuring that the US will be a driving force for the SWGO effort. The recently formed SWGO collaboration will conduct site selection and detector optimization studies prior to construction, with full operations foreseen to begin in 2026. Throughout this document, references to science white papers submitted to the Astro2020 Decadal Survey with particular relevance to the key science goals of SWGO, which include unveiling Galactic particle accelerators [2-10], exploring the dynamic universe [11-21], and probing physics beyond the Standard Model [22-25], are highlighted in red boldface.

Astro2020 APC White Paper

References in corpus (3)

• Fermi-LAT Observations of Two Gamma-Ray Emission Components from the Quiescent Sun
• An emerging population of BL Lacs with extreme properties: towards a class of EBL and cosmic magnetic field probes?
• Restrictions from Lorentz invariance violation on cosmic ray propagation

Cited by in corpus (18)

• Hint for a TeV neutrino emission from the Galactic Ridge with ANTARES
• Evidence of 200 TeV photons from HAWC J1825-134
• Solar Gamma Ray Constraints on Dark Matter Annihilation to Secluded Mediators
• Muon identification in a compact single-layered water Cherenkov detector and gamma/hadron discrimination using Machine Learning techniques
• A Double Layered Water Cherenkov Detector Array for Gamma-Ray Astronomy
• Sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array to dark subhalos
• Quantum gravity phenomenology at the dawn of the multi-messenger era -- A review
• Prospects of calibrating afterglow modeling of short GRBs with gravitational wave inclination angle measurements and resolving the Hubble tension with a GW-GRB association event
• Dark Matter candidates in a Type-II radiative neutrino mass model
• Disclosing the catalog pulsars dominating the Galactic positron flux
• Probing UHECR production in Centaurus A using secondary neutrinos and gamma-rays
• Snowmass 2021 LoI: Determination of cosmic ray properties in the local interstellar medium with all-sky anisotropy observations
• Sensitivities of KM3NeT on decaying dark matter
• Application of Graph Networks to a wide-field Water-Cherenkov-based Gamma-Ray Observatory
• Wavelength-shifting light traps for SWGO and other applications
• Gadolinium Loaded Cherenkov Detectors for Neutron Monitoring in High Energy Air Showers
• Revisiting Disk Winds in Active Galactic Nuclei as an Origin of Cosmic Gamma-ray and Neutrino Backgrounds
• Self-consistent approach for measuring the energy spectra and composition of cosmic rays and determining the properties of hadronic interactions at high energy