Deciphering QSOs: A New Approach for Measuring the Structures of their Central Engines

该项目的目的是利用一种强大的新统计工具--独立分量分析(ICA)--更好地了解类星体的光学发射线，该工具能够将类星体光谱分解为独立光谱分量的线性组合，这些线性组合共同构成类星体气体。独立成分分析将被应用于斯隆数字勘测的大型类星体样本，以识别仅有几个光谱成分的简单、罕见的类型。然后，这些类星体将使用SOAR望远镜在红外线中进行观测，并使用云层计算机代码进行建模，以试图确定发射线区域的物理性质。这项工作的广泛影响包括开发了一个新计划，使用一种新的便携式天文馆，将STEM天文学领域的课程带到密歇根州农村地区的边远小学。NSF的资金将用于向全州派遣一名专业的天文馆讲师进行演讲，留下一个观看太阳的设备，以及全套PowerPoint演示文稿和其他材料的CD。这项试点计划将覆盖20所偏远学校。

The purpose of this project is to better understand quasar optical emission lines using a powerful new statistical tool - Independent Component Analysis (ICA) - which is capable of decomposing quasar spectra into linear combinations of independent spectral components that together make up the quasar gas. ICA will be applied to the large Sloan Digital Survey quasar sample to identify simple, rare types with just a few spectral components. These quasars will then be observed in the infrared using the SOAR telescope, and modeled using the CLOUDY computer code, to try to determine the physical nature of the emission line regions.Broader impacts of the work include development of a new program to bring the STEM field subject of astronomy to outlying elementary schools in rural areas of Michigan, using a new portable planetarium. NSF funds will be used to send a professional planetarium lecturer around the state giving presentations, leaving behind a device for viewing the Sun, along with CDs with full sets of PowerPoint presentations and other materials. Twenty remote schools will be reached with this pilot program.