Imaging starspots on active stars using the upgraded MIRC6 combiner on the CHARA interferometer

该奖项将支持一个观测项目，该项目将红外干涉成像与光谱技术相结合，探测活动恒星上的斑/斑群的纬度依赖性和大小分布。观测将使用乔治亚州立大学（GSU）高角分辨率天文学中心（CHARA）干涉仪进行，这是一个由美国国家科学基金会支持的位于加州威尔逊山上的六望远镜光学阵列。该小组将使用密歇根红外组合器（MIRC），这是该小组建造的一种设施仪器，将在该项目中及时从4束升级到6束操作。这项工作有望揭示低温恒星中旋转、磁场和恒星活动之间的关系。这种现象在太阳上得到了充分的研究，但在其他恒星上还没有得到详细的研究。

This award will support an observational project that combines infrared interferometric imaging with spectroscopic techniques to probe the latitude dependence and size distribution of spot/spot groups on active stars. Observations will be performed using the Georgia State University (GSU) Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) interferometer, an NSF-supported six-telescope optical array on Mt. Wilson, California. This group will make use of the Michigan Infrared Combiner (MIRC), a facility instrument built by this group that will be upgraded from 4-beam to 6-beam operation in time for this project.The work is expected to shed light on the relationship between rotation, magnetic fields, and stellar activity in cool stars. Such phenomena are well-studied on the Sun, but have not been investigated in great detail in other stars.