MRI: Acquisition of a Spectrograph for the Central Washington University Research Telescope

MRI：为中央华盛顿大学研究望远镜购买摄谱仪

• 批准号: 1626674
• 负责人: Cassandra Fallscheer
• 金额: $ 26.44万
• 依托单位: Central Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-15 至 2022-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1626674&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Spectrograph; Central; Washington

This Major Research Instrumentation award will fund the acquisition of scientific instrumentation for the new 0.6-meter telescope at Central Washington University (CWU). The instrument will be a compact, low-cost, high-resolution spectrograph designed to detect and measure the orbital characteristics of Jupiter-sized planets around nearby giant stars. While the design is based on an existing instrument, much of the assembly and testing of the instrument will be carried out by undergraduate students. CWU students will also participate in the international partnership that developed the initial design. The spectrograph will give students the opportunity to experience how science, technology, and engineering come together to solve research problems and make new discoveries.This primary scientific goal is detection and monitoring of exoplanets in long-period orbits around giant stars. This will be accomplished through long-term monitoring of a small number of bright targets, which should also enable asteroseismology of giant stars. The instrument design targets precision radial velocity studies in the m/s range and makes use of an iodine cell. Much of the local engineering work and scientific observations will be performed by undergraduate students. This will provide training opportunities that generally are not available at non-PhD granting schools.

该重大研究仪器奖将资助为中央华盛顿大学 (CWU) 的新型 0.6 米望远镜购买科学仪器。 该仪器将是一种紧凑、低成本、高分辨率的摄谱仪，旨在探测和测量附近巨恒星周围木星大小行星的轨道特征。 虽然设计是基于现有仪器，但仪器的大部分组装和测试将由本科生完成。 CWU 学生还将参与开发初始设计的国际合作伙伴关系。摄谱仪将使学生有机会体验科学、技术和工程如何结合起来解决研究问题并做出新发现。其主要科学目标是探测和监测围绕巨星的长周期轨道上的系外行星。 这将通过对少量明亮目标的长期监测来实现，这也应该能够实现巨星的星震学。 该仪器设计的目标是在 m/s 范围内进行精确的径向速度研究，并使用碘池。当地的大部分工程工作和科学观察将由本科生完成。 这将提供非博士学位授予学校通常无法提供的培训机会。