Multi-Wavelength Studies of Compact Objects: Physics, Populations, and Origins

该项目的总体目标是了解黑洞X射线双星的物理学、种群和起源--特别是那些被称为“微类星体”的系统--以及导致其中一些系统形成相对论喷流的物理条件/过程。虽然天文学家已经研究了黑洞系统的相对论性外流几十年，但加速和准直这种射流的机制的细节仍然是一个谜。这里采取的科学途径采用了对致密天体（特别是微类星体）物理学的多波长研究，以及我们银河系内外致密天体的种群和起源。随着最近在银河系中心发现的2000多个新的X射线源的加入，有机会扩大一般吸积致密天体的样本量，特别是黑洞双星，数量级，使人口统计能够限制甚至罕见的X射线双星的起源和演化，如微类星体。此外，现在有可能研究许多这些系统形成的环境，以检查X射线双星和它们的环境之间的反馈过程。这种对个别来源的详细研究和通过人口研究对其起源和性质进行更广泛调查的结合，为解决这两个问题提供了一种强有力的协同方法。为此，Eikenberry和Bandyopadhyay博士将开展几个项目，包括利用双子座南部的FLAMINGOS-2在13个晚上的保证时间搜索新的微类星体和其他紧凑系统。由此产生的光谱约2000候选红外对应的新的X射线源在银河系中心，预计将产生200至300个新的双星与紧凑的对象秒。这项工作还将包括利用英国国际发展和安全局银河平面巡天的数据绘制银河中心的红外消光图（这对于精确地校正用FLAMINGOS-2观测的恒星的光度测量是必要的）。将对候选黑洞GRS 1915 +105进行多波长研究，并用于发展/完善艾肯伯里博士的相对论喷流形成“磁弹”模型及其与吸积喷射不稳定性模型的关系。Eikenberry博士的多波长项目也将继续进行，该项目旨在寻找年轻星系团中的X射线源（在该项目中，星系团的性质被用来限制祖先的特征）。该项目将为参与该项目的四名研究生提供教育和培训。该项目还将支持在当地拥有大量少数民族人口的第一公立学校进行的实践推广计划。

The overall goal of this project is to understand the physics, populations and origins of black hole X-ray binaries - particularly those systems known as "microquasars" - and the physical conditions/processes which lead to the formation of relativistic jets in some of them. While astronomers have studied relativistic outflows from black hole systems for several decades, the details of the mechanism which accelerates and collimates such a jet at nearly the speed of light out of the black hole potential well remains a mystery. The scientific path taken here employs multi-wavelength studies of the physics of compact objects (particularly microquasars) and the populations and origins of compact objects in our Galaxy and beyond. With the addition of more than 2000 new X-ray sources recently discovered in the Galactic Center there is an opportunity to expand the sample size of accreting compact objects in general, and black hole binaries in particular, by an order of magnitude, enabling the use of population statistics to constrain the origin and evolution of even rare classes of X-ray binary such as microquasars. Furthermore, it is now possible to study the environment in which many of these systems form, to examine the feedback process between X-ray binaries and their environment. This combination of both detailed studies of individual sources and broader investigation of their origins and properties via population studies provides a powerful synergistic approach to addressing both problems. Towards this end, several programs will be carried out by Drs. Eikenberry and Bandyopadhyay, including a search for new microquasars and other compact systems using 13 nights of guaranteed time with FLAMINGOS-2 on Gemini South. The resulting spectra of approximately 2000 candidate infrared counterparts to new X-ray sources in the Galactic center are expected to yield between 200 to 300 new binaries with compact object secondaries. Also included in this work will be the development of an infrared extinction map of the Galactic center using data from the UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey (which will be necessary to accurately reddening-correct the photometry of stars observed with FLAMINGOS-2). Multiwavelength studies of the black hole candidate GRS1915+105 will be carried out and used to develop/refine Dr. Eikenberry's "magnetic bomb" model of relativistic jet formation and its relation to the Accretion Ejection Instability model. Dr. Eikenberry's multi-wavelength program to find X-ray sources in young clusters (in which the cluster properties are used to constrain the progenitor characteristics) will also be continued.This program will enable the education and training of four graduate students who will be involved in the project. The project will also support an ongoing hands-on outreach program at local Title 1 public schools with large minority populations.