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，以探测活动恒星上的光斑/光斑群的纬度依赖性和大小分布。 观测将使用格鲁吉亚州立大学（GSU）高角分辨率天文学中心（CHARA）干涉仪进行，这是一个由NSF支持的六望远镜光学阵列。威尔逊，加州。 该研究小组将利用密歇根红外组合器（MIRC），这是一种由该小组建造的设施仪器，将及时从4束升级到6束操作。这项工作有望揭示冷恒星的旋转，磁场和恒星活动之间的关系。 这种现象在太阳上得到了很好的研究，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.