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

破译 QSO：测量其中央引擎结构的新方法

• 批准号: 1006593
• 负责人: Edwin Loh
• 金额: $ 26.02万
• 依托单位: Michigan State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-15 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1006593&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Deciphering; QSOs; New; Approach; Measuring

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.

这个项目的目的是利用一种强大的新统计工具——独立成分分析（ICA）——更好地理解类星体的光学发射线，它能够将类星体光谱分解成独立光谱成分的线性组合，这些成分共同构成类星体气体。ICA将应用于大型斯隆数字巡天类星体样本，以识别只有少数光谱成分的简单稀有类星体。然后，这些类星体将使用SOAR望远镜进行红外观测，并使用CLOUDY计算机代码进行建模，以试图确定发射线区域的物理性质。这项工作的更广泛影响包括开发一项新计划，利用一种新的便携式天文馆，将天文学的STEM领域学科引入密歇根州农村地区的偏远小学。美国国家科学基金会将派一名专业的天文馆讲师到全州各地演讲，并留下一个观看太阳的设备，以及全套ppt演示和其他材料的cd。这项试点计划将惠及20所偏远学校。