Halo Structure and RR Lyrae Stars in the SDSS-II Supernova Survey

SDSS-II 超新星巡天中的光环结构和 RR Lyrae 星

• 批准号: 0707756
• 负责人: Horace Smith
• 金额: $ 13.24万
• 依托单位: Michigan State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-08-01 至 2013-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0707756&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Halo; Structure; RR; Lyrae; Stars

Dr. Horace Smith, at Michigan State University, will identify RR Lyrae stars within the 300 square degree strip of sky that is being repeatedly covered during the Sloan Digital Sky Survey II supernova survey. Light curves, metallicities, and, in some cases, radial velocities will be determined for these RR Lyrae stars. This survey will not only reveal the overall space distribution of RR Lyrae stars in a hitherto very incompletely studied region of the sky, but it is also likely to identify subsets of RR Lyrae stars associated with distinct merger events. RR Lyrae stars, pulsating stars whose evolutionary progenitors were eyewitnesses to the formation of the halo and which are excellent standard candles, can provide particular insight into the building of the Milky Way.The proposed research will form an important part of the training of both graduate and undergraduate astrophysics students at Michigan State University. This research, together with other variable star studies being carried out at MSU, will also provide a focus for drawing astronomers in the Michigan area to local meetings on variable stars. A wider impact will be achieved through a web page describing the research and also through presentations to the public during open house nights at the campus observatory. Secondary school teachers will be introduced to observing and to this research at sessions held at the campus observatory, where the teachers will be able to obtain observations of their own

密歇根州立大学的霍拉斯·史密斯（Horace Smith）博士将在300平方英尺的天空中识别RR Lyrae明星，在Sloan Digital Sky Survey II Supernova调查期间，该星级被反复覆盖。 光曲线，金属性以及在某些情况下，将确定这些RR Lyrae恒星的径向速度。这项调查不仅会揭示RR Lyrae恒星在迄今未经完整研究的天空区域中的整体空间分布，而且还可能识别与独特合并事件相关的RR Lyrae恒星的子集。 RR Lyrae明星，脉动的恒星，其进化祖细胞是对光环的形成和出色的标准蜡烛的目击者，可以特别深入了解银河系的建造。拟议的研究将构成培训培训的重要组成部分，同时培训了密歇根州立大学的天体物理学学生。这项研究以及在MSU进行的其他可变恒星研究还将为在密歇根州地区吸引天文学家的重点放在可变星的本地会议上。通过描述研究以及在校园天文台的开放日之夜向公众介绍的网页，将实现更广泛的影响。中学教师将在校园天文台举行的会议上介绍和进行这项研究，教师将能够获得自己的观察