Fundamental Astrophysics from Precision Asteroseismology

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。德克萨斯大学的迈克尔·蒙哥马利将领导一个结合观测和理论的项目来研究脉动白矮星。他们将在麦克唐纳天文台的2.1米望远镜上使用Argos时间序列光度计，并辅以智利的4.1米SOAR望远镜、麦克唐纳天文台的1.2米望远镜和德克萨斯州中部的CTAS 0.6米望远镜。新的数据将被分析，以解决三大领域的基本天体物理问题。首先，他们将模拟单个光曲线的详细形状，以约束湍流热传输（对流）的物理特性。该项目的这一部分将使用超级计算机对对流进行流体动力学模拟。其次，他们将测量由于冷却导致的脉动周期变化，这将限制恒星的轴子发射。轴子是暗物质粒子的候选者，因此这项技术的发展和应用可能为轴子的宇宙学意义提供新的测试。第三，他们将继续观察和分析最近发现的新一类变星，即热DQV碳大气白矮星。目前，已知的这类成员有三名。其中两颗恒星拥有强大的磁场，这使它们成为研究脉动、对流和磁场相互作用的理想目标。该小组将继续为UT-Austin的新生研究计划开发内容，该计划将涉及大一和大二科学专业的前沿科学。与近年来一样，高中生将参加观察跑步，三名高中教师加入了这个小组，协助观察和学习第一手的科学方法。该团队正在通过一项计划扩大这种参与，该计划是由高中学生组成的小组在他们的高中度过整个晚上；他们通过Argos在线网站与麦克唐纳天文台的观测结果进行电子连接，并可以与圆顶内的天文学家进行远程会议。此外，他们还与德州中部天文学会积极合作。作为该项目的一部分，他们将开发一个可通过网络界面访问的观测数据库。该档案将允许对观察结果进行快速搜索，并将免费提供给社区。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Dr. Michael Montgomery of the University of Texas will lead a combined observational and theoretical project to study pulsating white dwarf stars. They will use the Argos time-series photometer on the 2.1m at McDonald Observatory, supplemented by the 4.1m SOAR telescope in Chile, the 1.2m telescope at McDonald Observatory, and the CTAS 0.6m telescope in central Texas. New data will be analyzed to address fundamental astrophysical problems in three broad areas. First, they will model the detailed shapes of individual light curves to constrain the physics of turbulent heat transport (convection). This part of the project will employ supercomputer hydrodynamical simulations of convection. Second, they will measure the change in pulsation period due to cooling, which will place constraints on the stars' axion emission. Axions are candidates for dark matter particles, so the development and application of this technique might provide new tests of the cosmological significance of axions. Third, they will continue their observations and analysis of the recently-discovered new class of variable star, the hot DQV carbon-atmosphere white dwarfs. Currently, there are three known members of this class. Two of these stars contain a strong magnetic field, making them ideal targets for studying the interplay of pulsation, convection, and magnetic fields.This group will continue to develop content for the Freshman Research Initiative program at UT-Austin, which will involve freshmen and sophomore science majors in cutting-edge science. As in recent years, high school students will participate in observing runs, and three high school teachers have joined this group to assist in observing and learn the scientific method first hand. The team is broadening this participation through a program whereby small groups of high school students spend entire nights at lock-ins at their high school; they are electronically linked to the observations being taken at McDonald Observatory through the Argos Online website and can teleconference with the astronomers in the dome. In addition, they have an active collaboration with the Central Texas Astronomical Society. As part of this project, they will develop a database of observations accessible via a web interface. This archive will allow rapid searching of the observations, and will be made freely available to the community.