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INTEGRAL Project Czech Office Home Page
High
Energy Astrophysics Group focuses on the research
of cosmic objects in X-ray and gamma spectra region, mainly gamma-ray
bursts, active galaxies-blazars, and high energy sources located in our
Galaxy. Participation in the satellite experiments (mainly with the
collaboration of European Space Agency ESA), operation and another
development/innovation of the supporting ground-based experiments,
mainly CCD telescopes and robotic telescopes. Confirmation and
specification of physical models of the sources, study of the related
physical processes.
High
energy astrophysics is a progressive and rapidly developing field with
high priority in the international research, with a close relation to
the cosmic experiment and to the physics as a whole. The objects which
emit high energy radiation have the Galactic and extragalactic origin.
The Galactic ones are mainly X-ray binaries, pulsars, X-ray novae, X-ray
transients, cataclysmic variables, stars with coronal emission. The
extragalactic ones represent mainly active galactic nuclei (AGN),
blazars, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts. Various correlations are being
studied and identified (e.g. between gamma-ray bursts and supernovae).
One of the current tasks is the physics of jets, existing mainly in AGN
and blazars, but probably also in other kinds of object (gamma-ray
bursts), and the study of the regions of nucleosynthesis. Continuously
growing outputs toward general physics and cosmology, study of the
Universe in its early stadiums, objects in very large (cosmologic)
distances, final phases of the lives of stars etc. The satellite
projects represent the substantial basis for the experiments (at present
mainly XMM Newton, Chandra AXAF, INTEGRAL ESA), they yield a huge amount
of data which are then submitted to scientific analyses and
interpretations. Right the satellite data led to a great progress in
high energy astrophysics as a whole. A complex analysis is an important
method in which the objects are studied simultaneously in various
spectral regions. Also suitably organized ground-based observations
considerably contribute to the understanding of the physical processes,
mainly if they are correlated with the measurements from the satellites.
Valuable data are obtained also in the framework of campaigns when a
given object is intensively and simultaneously studied from the Earth
and by the satellites. Optical monitoring has a growing importance,
enabling a rapid observing with a satellite (so called target of
opportunity) in case of an outburst or change of activity. The Ondrejov
group successfully participated in several wide international satellite
and ground-based projects
High
Energy Group of the Astronomical Institute is the largest one in this
research field in Czech Republic. This group collaborates with
universities, mainly with Czech Technical University in Prague and
Masaryk University in Brno. It achieved many innovations in the field,
for example in the preparation and operation of the robotic ground-based
telescopes for the cosmic satellite projects and in its involvement in
the development of innovated technologies and procedures for the
astrophysical satellite projects. Important in the national context is
the extensive participation of students, diploma and doctoral students.
In
the international context, High Energy Group achieved acknowledgements
mainly by its enter to the international collaborations (satellite
projects ESA INTEGRAL and ESA XEUS, project BOOTES, research of blazars,
gamma-ray bursts, cataclysmic variables and related binary high energy
sources). Internationally acknowledged is the participation in the
development of new astrophysical instruments for the satellites, mainly
the innovated X-ray optics for future great satellite experiments ESA
and NASA. This group achieved good results also in the area of the
optical observations of the counterparts of the gamma-ray bursts,
research of activity of the binary systems with a compact object, and in
the studies of optical transients.
Recent and future plans
In
the field of high energy astrophysics, we will focus on a complex
scientific research of the cosmic sources of high energy radiations by
means of both satellite and ground-based experiments with an emphasis on
the method of the multispectral analysis and wide international
collaboration. The field of the satellite projects will consider mainly
a continuation of the project ESA INTEGRAL by analyses of gamma-ray
bursts, blazars, and high energy sources in our galaxy (mainly
cataclysmic variables and X-ray transients). International Science
Working Team of the INTEGRAL project delegated us to lead the analyses
of cataclysmic variables in the framework of INTEGRAL Core Programme; we
participate also in other subsections (active galactic nuclei (AGN),
gamma-ray bursts, X-ray sources in our Galaxy) as the members of the
relevant teams. In addition, we are involved in 3 observing proposals in
the framework of the programme AO-2 (gamma-ray bursts, blazars, the
cataclysmic variable AE Aqr). We lead the analyses of the detected gamma-ray
burst GRB030501 in the framework of the Core Programme according to the
rotation scheme with other teams according to a time table (the OMC GRB
team usually receives one month per year). Our further collaborations
consider the great project ESA XEUS and LOBSTER. As for the study of
gamma-ray bursts, we assume an involvement in analysis of the
observations from the satellites INTEGRAL, HETE a Swift. Strategies and
methods: (1) The satellite project ESA INTEGRAL. Analysis of the
obtained observations of gamma-ray bursts in the framework of the
negotiated international collaboration with utilizing the data from the
satellite (mainly the light curves, spectra, spectral evolution) and the
ground-based experiments with the emphasis on the physical
interpretation of the observed phenomena. Analysis of other high energy
sources with this satellite with the focus on blazars and sources in our
Galaxy. (2) Research of blazars: multispectral analyses using the data
from both the ground-based telescopes and the satellites (INTEGRAL etc.),
study of colours, time evolution, outbursts. (3) Research of binary
sources of high energy radiation in our Galaxy (cataclysmic variables,
X-ray binaries, X-ray transients, supersoft X-ray sources); complex and
multispectral analyses (ground-based and satellite data, data from
INTEGRAL), observations and observing campaigns, study of the physical
processes acting on various time scales including long-term activity of
these objects and their outbursts, physical interpretation, development
of the physical models. (4) Research of gamma-ray bursts: rapid follow-up
optical observations and study of optical afterglows and optical
transients using the robotic ground-based telescopes BART and BOOTES,
development and start of operation of innovated instruments (SUPER-BART),
study of colour indices and their time evolution with the aim to study
the diagnostics of the environment and other physical relations. (5)
Research of optical transients: analysis of the data from the optical
monitors, digitized archival plates and CCD monitors. Complex analyses
of the detected phenomena, deep analyses of their positions with the aim
to find possible quiescent counterpart, alternatively so called host
galaxy. (6) The satellite project ESA XEUS: participation in the
scientific goals and the programme, involvement in the optical system of
the telescope (development, simulation, modelling, etc.). (7) The
project LOBSTER: participation in scientific programme and in the
preparation of the experiment.
Responsible Scientist (R_Sci) of CVs INTEGRAL core programme is
Dr. René Hudec.
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