The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON)

M. W.E. Smith, D. B. Fox, D. F. Cowen, P. Mészáros, G. Tešić, J. Fixelle, I. Bartos, P. Sommers, Abhay Ashtekar, G. Jogesh Babu, S. D. Barthelmy, S. Coutu, T. Deyoung, A. D. Falcone, Shan Gao, B. Hashemi, A. Homeier, S. Márka, B. J. Owen, I. Taboada

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

108 Scopus citations

Abstract

We summarize the science opportunity, design elements, current and projected partner observatories, and anticipated science returns of the Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON). AMON will link multiple current and future high-energy, multimessenger, and follow-up observatories together into a single network, enabling near real-time coincidence searches for multimessenger astrophysical transients and their electromagnetic counterparts. Candidate and high-confidence multimessenger transient events will be identified, characterized, and distributed as AMON alerts within the network and to interested external observers, leading to follow-up observations across the electromagnetic spectrum. In this way, AMON aims to evoke the discovery of multimessenger transients from within observatory subthreshold data streams and facilitate the exploitation of these transients for purposes of astronomy and fundamental physics. As a central hub of global multimessenger science, AMON will also enable cross-collaboration analyses of archival datasets in search of rare or exotic astrophysical phenomena.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)56-70
Number of pages15
JournalAstroparticle Physics
Volume45
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

Keywords

  • Cosmic rays
  • Gamma-ray bursts
  • Gravitational radiation
  • High-energy astrophysics
  • Neutrinos
  • Supernovae

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