The first limits on the prompt emission from the long gamma-ray burst (GRB) 130427A in the $>100 obreakspacerm{GeV}$ energy band are reported. GRB 130427A was the most powerful burst ever detected with a redshift $zlesssim0.5$ and featured the longes
t lasting emission above $100 obreakspacerm{MeV}$. The energy spectrum extends at least up to $95 obreakspacerm{GeV}$, clearly in the range observable by the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Gamma-ray Observatory, a new extensive air shower detector currently under construction in central Mexico. The burst occurred under unfavourable observation conditions, low in the sky and when HAWC was running 10% of the final detector. Based on the observed light curve at MeV-GeV energies, eight different time periods have been searched for prompt and delayed emission from this GRB. In all cases, no statistically significant excess of counts has been found and upper limits have been placed. It is shown that a similar GRB close to zenith would be easily detected by the full HAWC detector, which will be completed soon. The detection rate of the full HAWC detector may be as high as one to two GRBs per year. A detection could provide important information regarding the high energy processes at work and the observation of a possible cut-off beyond the $mathit{Fermi}$-LAT energy range could be the signature of gamma-ray absorption, either in the GRB or along the line of sight due to the extragalactic background light.
The High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Gamma Ray Observatory (HAWC) is under construction 4100 meters above sea level at Sierra Negra, Mexico. We describe the design and cabling of the detector, the characterization of the photomultipliers, and the timing
calibration system. We also outline a next-generation detector based on the water Cherenkov technique.
The High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Gamma Ray Observatory (HAWC) is designed to perform a synoptic survey of the TeV sky. The high energy coverage of the experiment will enable studies of fundamental physics beyond the Standard Model, and the large fie
ld of view of the detector will enable detailed studies of cosmologically significant backgrounds and magnetic fields. We describe the sensitivity of the full HAWC array to these phenomena in five contributions shown at the 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (July 2013).
We describe measurements of GeV and TeV cosmic rays with the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Gamma-Ray Observatory, or HAWC. The measurements include the observation of the shadow of the moon; the observation of small-scale and large-scale angular clus
tering of the TeV cosmic rays; the prospects for measurement of transient solar events with HAWC; and the observation of Forbush decreases with the HAWC engineering array and HAWC-30.
The High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Gamma-Ray Observatory is designed to record air showers produced by cosmic rays and gamma rays between 100 GeV and 100 TeV. Because of its large field of view and high livetime, HAWC is well-suited to measure
gamma rays from extended sources, diffuse emission, and transient sources. We describe the sensitivity of HAWC to emission from the extended Cygnus region as well as other types of galactic diffuse emission; searches for flares from gamma-ray bursts and active galactic nuclei; and the first measurement of the Crab Nebula with HAWC-30.
The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC) is an air shower array currently under construction in Mexico at an altitude of 4100 m. HAWC will consist of 300 large water tanks covering an area of about 22000 square meters and instrumented wit
h 4 photomultipliers each. The experimental design allows for highly efficient detection of photon-induced air showers in the TeV and sub-TeV range and gamma-hadron separation. We show that HAWC has a reasonable chance to observe the high-energy power law components of GRBs that extend to 50 GeV. In particular, HAWC will be capable of observing events similar to GRB 090510 and GRB 090902B. The observations (or non-observations) of GRBs by HAWC will provide information on the high-energy spectra of GRBs. An engineering array consisting of 6 water tanks was operated at the HAWC site since September 2011, collecting 3 months of data. An upper limit on high energy emission from GRB 111016B is derived from these data.
We present the sensitivity of HAWC to Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). HAWC is a very high-energy gamma-ray observatory currently under construction in Mexico at an altitude of 4100 m. It will observe atmospheric air showers via the water Cherenkov method. H
AWC will consist of 300 large water tanks instrumented with 4 photomultipliers each. HAWC has two data acquisition (DAQ) systems. The main DAQ system reads out coincident signals in the tanks and reconstructs the direction and energy of individual atmospheric showers. The scaler DAQ counts the hits in each photomultiplier tube (PMT) in the detector and searches for a statistical excess over the noise of all PMTs. We show that HAWC has a realistic opportunity to observe the high-energy power law components of GRBs that extend at least up to 30 GeV, as it has been observed by Fermi LAT. The two DAQ systems have an energy threshold that is low enough to observe events similar to GRB 090510 and GRB 090902b with the characteristics observed by Fermi LAT. HAWC will provide information about the high-energy spectra of GRBs which in turn could help to understanding about e-pair attenuation in GRB jets, extragalactic background light absorption, as well as establishing the highest energy to which GRBs accelerate particles.
