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、种群和起源--特别是那些被称为“微类星体”的系统--以及在其中一些系统中导致相对论喷流形成的物理条件/过程。虽然天文学家研究从黑洞系统流出的相对论流已经有几十年了，但从黑洞势能井中以接近光速的速度加速和准直这种喷流的机制细节仍然是一个谜。这里所采用的科学路线采用了对致密天体(特别是微类星体)的物理以及我们银河系内外致密天体的数量和起源的多波长研究。随着最近在银河系中心发现的2000多个新的X射线源的增加，有机会将吸积致密天体，特别是黑洞双星的样本规模扩大一个数量级，从而能够利用人口统计来限制甚至罕见的X射线双星类，如微类星体的起源和演化。此外，现在有可能研究许多这样的系统形成的环境，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与通过人口研究对其来源和性质的更广泛调查相结合，为解决这两个问题提供了一种强大的协同方法。为此，Eikenberry博士和Bandyopadhyay博士将实施几项计划，包括利用火烈鸟2号在双子座南部的13个晚上的保证时间来搜索新的微类星体和其他紧凑系统。银河系中心新X射线源的大约2000个候选红外对应物的结果光谱预计将产生200到300个具有致密物体次级的新双星。这项工作还将包括利用UKIDSS银河平面调查的数据绘制银河系中心的红外消光图(这将是准确地对用火烈鸟2号观测到的恒星进行红化校正所必需的)。对候选黑洞GRS1915+105的多波长研究将被用来发展/改进艾肯伯里博士的相对论喷流形成的“磁弹”模型，以及它与吸积喷出不稳定性模型的关系。艾肯伯里博士在年轻星系团中寻找X射线源的多波长计划(其中星系团的属性被用来限制星系团的前身特征)也将继续。这一计划将使参与该项目的四名研究生得到教育和培训。该项目还将支持在少数民族人口众多的地方第1条公立学校正在进行的实践外联计划。

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.