Collaborative Project: RUI: White Dwarf Stars in Wide Binary Systems

作为恒星演化的终点，白色矮星 在天文学中很重要。 他们的存在是以前 世代的恒星使他们成为方便的形成探针 追溯到我们银河系圆盘的诞生 银河 此外，它们的结构是明确定义的：如果它们的 化学成分和质量被指定，它们的半径成为 测定 在这项工作中，主要研究者（PI）将 联合收割机将他的努力与两个合作者;他们的共同努力将 成为NSF支持的合作企业。三个私家侦探 完成对大间距双星中白色矮星的观测。 这些恒星的伴星位于主序星上， 径向速度，视亮度和颜色将允许 对白色质量和光度的精确估计 矮人 将获得这些天体的高分辨率光谱 为了估计表面化学成分和磁性， 磁场强度 完成后，这项研究预计将允许 最准确和最均匀的物理汇编 白色矮星的参数。

Being the terminus for stellar evolution, white dwarfs are important in astronomy. Their existence as remnants of previous generations of stars makes them convenient probes of the formation of massive stars back to the birth of the disk of our Milky Way Galaxy. In addition, their structure is well defined: if their chemical compositions and masses are specified, their radii become determined. In this work the Principal Investigator (PI) will combine his efforts with two collaborators; their joint effort will be a collaborative NSF supported venture. The three PI's will complete a survey of white dwarfs in widely spaced double stars. The companions of these stars are on the main sequence, and their radial velocities, apparent brightnesses, and colors will permit accurate estimates of the masses and luminosities of the white dwarfs. High resolution spectra will be obtained of these objects in order to estimate the surface chemical compositions and magnetic field strengths. When completed, this study is expected to permit the compilation of the most accurate and homogeneous physical parameters for white dwarfs to date.