Optical Observations of Black Hole Binaries and Related Systems

Bailyn博士将继续他对黑洞X射线新星的研究，这是一种双星系统，在这种系统中，黑洞从其伴星那里吸收质量。他将主要使用CTIO的耶鲁大学1米望远镜对瞬变X射线源进行光学和红外观测。经常和有保障地使用该望远镜将使长期监测活动能够提供关于几个已知系统的改进数据，以及对最近从X射线数据中发现的系统进行识别和研究。对这些系统的光学研究提供了对轨道参数的测量，这些参数导致吸积体的质量受到限制，并证明这些系统确实包含黑洞，并强烈限制了物质首先受到黑洞引力场影响的吸积盘外部的活动。

Bailyn, Charles AST-9730774 Dr. Bailyn will continue his research into black hole X-ray novae, binary systems in which a black hole accretes mass from its companion star. He will carry out a program of optical and infrared observations of transient X-ray sources using primarily the Yale 1-meter telescope at CTIO. Frequent and guaranteed access to the telescope will allow long term monitoring campaigns to provide improved data on several known systems as well as the identification and study of systems recently discovered from X-ray data. Optical studies of these systems provide measurement of orbital parameters that lead to limits to the mass of the accretor and proof that the systems actually do contain black holes, and strongly constrain activity in the outer parts of the accretion disk where matter first comes under the influence of the gravitational field of the black hole.