The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON)

TL;DR

AMON is a network that links multiple observatories to detect and analyze multimessenger astrophysical transients in real-time, enhancing discovery and follow-up of rare cosmic events.

Contribution

This paper introduces the design, current status, and science goals of the AMON network, a novel system for real-time multimessenger transient detection and analysis.

Findings

AMON will enable near real-time coincidence searches.

It will facilitate follow-up observations across the electromagnetic spectrum.

The network aims to discover rare astrophysical phenomena.

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.