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<!-- <h1>AMEGO: The All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory</h1> -->

<p>AMEGO, the All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory, is an <a
href="https://pcos.gsfc.nasa.gov/physpag/probe/probewp.php">Astrophysics
Probe mission concept</a> designed to explore the MeV sky. </p>

<div style="width: 750px; padding: 25px; margin: auto; border-style: dashed; border-width: 1px; text-align:center">
  <a href="files/AMEGO_Decadal_RFI.pdf"><img style="float:left; padding: 10px" src="images/AMEGO_Decadal_RFI.png" alt="AMEGO Decadal RFI Cover" height="300px"></a>
  <p style="font-size:20px; margin-top: 75px">The AMEGO team responded to a request for information from the <a href="https://sites.nationalacademies.org/DEPS/astro2020/">Astro2020 Decadal Survey</a> in the fall of 2019.</p>
  <p style="font-size:20px; margin-bottom: 90px">You can download our response here:<br/> <a href="files/AMEGO_Decadal_RFI.pdf">AMEGO RFI Response.</a></p>
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<div class="figure">
<center><img src="images/AMEGO_venn.png" alt="AMEGO Venn Diagram"></center>
<p>AMEGO provides three new capabilities in MeV astrophysics: sensitive continuum spectral studies, polarization, and nuclear line spectroscopy.  The primary optimization for AMEGO is continuum sensitivity across a broad energy range.  The extremely diverse science reach for AMEGO (as summarized in this figure) is greatly enhanced by adding polarization and nuclear line spectroscopy.</p>
</div>

<p>The MeV domain is one of the most underexplored windows on the
Universe. From astrophysical jets and extreme physics of compact
objects to a large population of unidentified objects, fundamental
astrophysics questions can be addressed by a mission that opens a
window into the MeV range. The time is right for an MeV mission. <a
href="https://www-glast.stanford.edu/">Fermi-LAT</a> observations at
GeV energies have opened a window to a rich and varied ensemble of
astrophysical sources, and demonstrate the promise of an equally rich
return from opening the MeV band. Secondly, we are at the dawn of the
multimessenger era, with the recent discovery of high energy
astrophysical neutrinos by <a
href="https://icecube.wisc.edu/">IceCube</a> and the first direct
observation of gravitational waves by <a
href="https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/">LIGO</a>.  By virtue of its focus
on extreme environments, a medium energy gamma-ray surveyor is an
excellent partner in these new scientific endeavors.</p>

<p>An MeV gamma-ray surveyor probe mission has a unique capability to
provide sensitive coverage of both the <a
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton_scattering">Compton</a>
(0.2 - 10 MeV) and <a
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pair_production">pair</a>
conversion (10 MeV - 10 GeV) regimes. This allows a single mission to
cover the entire gap between the current generation of hard X-ray
instruments (like <a href="http://www.nustar.caltech.edu/">NuSTAR</a>)
and the Fermi-LAT.</p>

<p>Enhancing the performance of the calorimeter for Compton events
will open up new capabilities for MeV spectroscopy. AMEGO will
address three key performance directions in MeV astrophysics. We will
have an outstanding continuum sensitivity over a wide energy range and
field of view to continue Fermi-LAT-like science down to lower
energies. In addition we add a substantial science case from nuclear
line astrophysics.</p>

<p>A smaller scale mission could not cover the entire energy range,
and would necessitate a choice between a wide-field continuum
sensitivity and nuclear line spectroscopy. With AMEGO we can do both.
AMEGO will have the very broad science menu appropriate for a <a
href="https://pcos.gsfc.nasa.gov/physpag/whitepapers.php">probe class
mission</a>. As an all-sky surveyor it will collect data on all MeV
sources in the sky and will provide a service to the whole
astrophysical community</p>

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