Project Grant 2609404

The National Science Foundation Division of Physics awarded the University of Utah $500,000 on September 1, 2026, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to support base operations of the University of Utah Cosmic Ray Group and analysis of Telescope Array Observatory data.

The University of Utah hosts an international collaboration operating the Telescope Array Observatory in Utah, which studies ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays—the highest-energy particles known, possessing energies more than ten million times greater than particles produced at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The observatory uses Earth's atmosphere as part of its detector system. When ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays enter the atmosphere, they collide with air nuclei, creating cascading showers of secondary particles that extend across billions of particles. The observatory employs two sets of detectors to analyze these air showers: an array of more than 850 surface detectors distributed across more than 700 square miles, which measure arrival time and particle density, and 60 telescopes positioned on the perimeter with sensitive cameras that capture recordings of air shower development. Together, these detectors enable research into the energy, chemical composition, and origins of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, illuminating the most violent objects in the universe and the space environment through which these particles travel. The funding supports training students in data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Performance of work occurs in Salt Lake City, Utah. The award period runs through August 31, 2027.