Next Generation Microlensing Planet Search Analysis and Observations

下一代微透镜行星搜索分析和观测

• 批准号: 1009621
• 负责人: David Bennett
• 金额: $ 42.38万
• 依托单位: University of Notre Dame
• 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: 2010-08-15 至 2013-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1009621&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Next; Generation; Microlensing; Planet; Search

Dr. David Bennett will continue the microlensing planet search program at the University of Notre Dame in collaboration with several research teams around the world. Mirolensing is a gravitational phenomenon which produces a significant amplification of the brightness of a distant star when another star passes almost directly in front of it. The latter star is called the "lens," and the manner in which the distant star's brightness rises and falls during a microlensing event can be used to detect planets around the (generally unseen) lens star. In this project, Dr. Bennett will work to improve the analysis techniques used to detect planets, in particular to increase the number of planets detected in future microlensing events and to model the amplification from binary or multiple-planet lenses.This project will emphasize international collaboration, since microlensing observations are performed by many different groups worldwide. The PI will transfer his technical expertise and software to the international scientific community to ensure that those who provide the hardware for this project will also share in the scientific discovery, and to enable new investigators to learn the technical details of microlensing analysis. The impact of the project also extends to amateur scientists and the general public.

大卫·贝内特博士将继续在圣母大学与世界各地的几个研究团队合作进行微透镜行星搜索项目。微透镜是一种引力现象，当另一颗恒星几乎直接从它前面经过时，它的亮度会显著放大。后一颗恒星被称为“透镜”，在微透镜事件中，遥远恒星的亮度上升和下降的方式可以用来探测透镜恒星周围的行星（通常看不见）。在这个项目中，贝内特博士将致力于改进用于探测行星的分析技术，特别是在未来的微透镜事件中增加探测到的行星数量，并对双星或多行星透镜的放大进行建模。这个项目将强调国际合作，因为微透镜观测是由世界上许多不同的小组进行的。PI将把他的技术专长和软件转让给国际科学界，以确保为该项目提供硬件的人也能分享科学发现，并使新的研究人员能够学习微透镜分析的技术细节。该项目的影响还延伸到业余科学家和普通公众。