Speaker
Description
Despite extensive research, the origin and acceleration mechanisms of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR) remain a mystery. Several challenges have to be considered in the search for UHECR sources, such as deflections of cosmic-ray nuclei by cosmic magnetic fields. However, observing high-energy neutral particles (photons and neutrinos) from distant sources helps unveil cosmic-ray origins, bypassing magnetic deflection. In the last 20 years, significant advances have been made both in modeling and observations of UHECRs through the quantity and quality of measured data. With data taken during Phase I of the Pierre Auger Observatory, an excess of air showers from the Centaurus A region is reported, among other outstanding scientific results. With AugerPrime, the major upgrade of the Observatory consisting of improved surface detectors for enhanced mass-sensitivity, a wealth of new data is aimed for within the next decade, together with breakthroughs on actual source origin and eventually new physics on developing air showers at the highest energies. In this talk, the status and latest results of the Pierre Auger Observatory will be discussed, with a short, user-friendly introduction to its open data.
