Precise Ages for Open Star Clusters from Known Detached Eclipsing Binaries

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。Sandquist和他的团队将对附近星团中食双星系统的恒星质量和半径进行精确测量。这些测量将允许用最少的理论解释来确定精确的年龄。研究人员之前已经在三个不同的星团中发现了一组由七个双星系统组成的星系，这将使他们能够以大约10%的精度测量年龄，这是对当前方法的重大改进。随着光度测量技术的改进（也将根据该奖项获得），将有可能在以前不可能的程度上测试控制这些恒星内部的物理细节。这个项目的结果将允许更好地确定银河系遥远地区和附近星系的恒星群的年龄。圣地亚哥州立大学将为本科生和硕士研究生提供研究机会，圣地亚哥州立大学是加州州立大学（CSU）系统中唯一提供天文学学士学位的校园。科罗拉多州立大学系统为超过417,000名学生提供服务，其中许多学生来自传统上代表性不足的群体。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Dr. Sandquist and his team will undertake precision measurements of the masses and radii of stars in eclipsing binary systems in nearby star clusters. These measurements will allow precise ages to be determined with a minimum amount of theoretical interpretation. The investigators have previously identified a group of seven binary systems in three different star clusters that will enable them to measure ages with precisions of roughly 10%, a significant improvement over current methods. With improved photometry, also to be obtained under this award, it will be possible to test details of the physics governing the interiors of these stars to a degree not previously possible.The results from this project will allow better ages to be determined for groups of stars in distant reaches of the Milky Way and in nearby galaxies. Research opportunities will be available for undergraduate students and Master's degree candidates at San Diego State University, the only campus of the California State University (CSU) system that offers Bachelor's degrees in astronomy. The CSU system serves more than 417,000 students, many of whom come from traditionally underrepresented groups.