Presidential Young Investigator Award: Problems in Theoretical High Energy Astrophysics

该项目针对理论高能天体物理学中的各种主题，主要处理天文致密天体附近的现象，如中子星、白矮星和活动星系核。它包括宇宙伽马射线爆发源的模型，以了解从这些系统偶尔探测到的光学闪光的来源；宇宙X射线爆发源的模型，其光谱可用于推断这些系统中吸积盘的性质；研究致密双星的演化，例如磁激变变星，其中白矮星的磁场与伴星的耦合影响了双星的进化史；以及研究活动星系的核。这项工作应该会增加我们对支配所引用的奇异天体动力学的基本物理过程的理解。虽然预计不会特别适用于陆地系统，但其中一些过程在其他领域也是有意义的。

This project is directed at various topics in theoretical high energy astrophysics, dealing primarily with phenomena in the vicinity of astronomical compact objects such as neutron stars, white dwarfs, and active galactic nuclei. It includes models of cosmic gamma-ray burst sources toward understanding the origin of the optical flashes that are occasionally detected from these systems; models of the class of cosmic X- ray burst sources whose spectra may be used to infer the properties of accretion disks in these systems; studying the evolution of compact binary stars, such as magnetic cataclysmic variables, in which the coupling of the white dwarf's magnetic field to the companion star affects the binary's evolutionary history; and studying the nuclei of active galaxies. This work should increase our understanding of the basic physical processes that govern the dynamics of the exotic astrophysical objects cited. While no specific applicability to terrestrial systems is anticipated, some of these processes are of interest in other areas as well.