U.S.-Italy Cooperative Research: Optical Variability of Quasars

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9214905 Kron This three-year award will support U.S.-Italy cooperative research between Richard Kron, University of Chicago, and Dario Trevese of the University of Rome, "La Sapienza," Italy, on the optical variability of quasars. This is a topic in quasar research that is central to the understanding of the power source. The research collaboration will measure the optical variability of a statistical sample of quasars based on archival data that span 15 years. Kron and Trevese will complete a detailed statistical analysis of the quasar light curves, and will observe spectroscopically a sample of galaxies selected on the basis of their nuclear variability, which will allow the study of the continuity between quasars and galaxies with active nuclei, thus constraining models for the cosmological evolution of quasars. Thorough research on the variability of quasars will contribute to our understanding of the mechanism by which quasars attain their enormous luminosity by the infall of material into a black hole. This work may lead to alternative ways of searching for quasars, through their variability, which has until now been only partially successful. * * *