Validation of standardized data formats and tools for ground-level particle-based gamma-ray observatories

Albert A, Alfaro R, Arteaga-Velazquez JC, Ayala Solares HA, Babu R, Belmont-Moreno E, Brisbois C, Caballero-Mora KS, Capistran T, Carraminana A, Casanova S, Chaparro-Amaro O, Cotti U, Cotzomi J, Coutino De Leon S, De La Fuente E, Diaz Hernandez R, Duvernois MA, Durocher M, Espinoza C, Fan KL, Fernandez Alonso M, Fraija N, Garcia-Gonzalez JA, Goksu H, Gonzalez MM, Goodman JA, Harding JP, Hinton J, Huang D, Hueyotl-Zahuantitla F, Huntemeyer P, Jardin-Blicq A, Joshi , Linnemann JT, Longinotti AL, Luis-Raya G, Malone K, Marandon , Martinez O, Martinez-Castro J, Matthews JA, Miranda-Romagnoli P, Morales-Soto JA, Moreno E, Mostafa M, Nayerhoda A, Nellen L, Nisa MU, Noriega-Papaqui R, Olivera-Nieto L, Perez-Perez EG, Rho CD, Rosa-Gonzalez D, Ruiz-Velasco E, Salazar-Gallegos D, Salesa Greus F, Sandoval A, Schoorlemmer H, Serna-Franco J, Smith AJ, Son Y, Springer RW, Tollefson K, Torres , Torres-Escobedo R, Turner R, Urena-Mena F, Villasenor L, Wang X, Watson IJ, Willox E, Zhou H, De Leon C, Zepeda A, Donath A, Funk S (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Book Volume: 667

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202243527

Abstract

Context. Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy is still a rather young field of research, with strong historical connections to particle physics. This is why most observations are conducted by experiments with proprietary data and analysis software, as is usual in the particle physics field. However, in recent years, this paradigm has been slowly shifting toward the development and use of open-source data formats and tools, driven by upcoming observatories such as the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). In this context, a community-driven, shared data format (the gamma-astro-data-format, or GADF) and analysis tools such as Gammapy and ctools have been developed. So far, these efforts have been led by the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope community, leaving out other types of ground-based gamma-ray instruments. Aims. We aim to show that the data from ground particle arrays, such as the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory, are also compatible with the GADF and can thus be fully analyzed using the related tools, in this case, Gammapy. Methods. We reproduced several published HAWC results using Gammapy and data products compliant with GADF standard. We also illustrate the capabilities of the shared format and tools by producing a joint fit of the Crab spectrum including data from six different gamma-ray experiments. Results. We find excellent agreement with the reference results, a powerful confirmation of both the published results and the tools involved. Conclusions. The data from particle detector arrays such as the HAWC observatory can be adapted to the GADF and thus analyzed with Gammapy. A common data format and shared analysis tools allow multi-instrument joint analysis and effective data sharing. To emphasize this, a sample of Crab nebula event lists is made public with this paper. Because of the complementary nature of pointing and wide-field instruments, this synergy will be distinctly beneficial for the joint scientific exploitation of future observatories such as the Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory and CTA.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

University of Maryland United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) / Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics Germany (DE) Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH) Mexico (MX) Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN) / Polish Academy of Sciences Poland (PL) Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo / Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo Mexico (MX) Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) United States (USA) (US) National Institute for Astrophysics / Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF) Italy (IT) Michigan State University United States (USA) (US) Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) Mexico (MX) University of Seoul (UOS) / 서울시립대학교 Korea, Republic of (KR) Universidad Politécnica de Pachuca (UPP) Mexico (MX) Michigan Technological University United States (USA) (US) Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) / Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla Mexico (MX) University of Wisconsin - Madison United States (USA) (US) National Autonomous University of Mexico / Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) Mexico (MX) Shanghai Jiao Tong University / 上海交通大学 China (CN) Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute / Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Mexico (MX) Los Alamos National Laboratory United States (USA) (US) National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico / Instituto Politécnico Nacional de México Mexico (MX) University of New Mexico (UNM) / Universidad de Nuevo México United States (USA) (US) University of Utah United States (USA) (US) Universidad de Guadalajara (UDEG) Mexico (MX) Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas (UNACH) Mexico (MX) Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Albert, A., Alfaro, R., Arteaga-Velazquez, J.C., Ayala Solares, H.A., Babu, R., Belmont-Moreno, E.,... Funk, S. (2022). Validation of standardized data formats and tools for ground-level particle-based gamma-ray observatories. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 667. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202243527

MLA:

Albert, A., et al. "Validation of standardized data formats and tools for ground-level particle-based gamma-ray observatories." Astronomy & Astrophysics 667 (2022).

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