Extremely Close and Not Alone: Exploring the Habitability of M-dwarf Multi-planet Systems

极其接近而不孤单：探索M矮星多行星系统的宜居性

• 批准号: 1401554
• 负责人: Aomawa Shields
• 金额: $ 8.9万
• 依托单位: Shields Aomawa L
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-10-01 至 2017-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1401554&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Extremely; Close; Alone; Exploring; Habitability

Ms. Aomawa Shields is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the University of California, Los Angeles and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. M-dwarfs, much smaller and cooler than our Sun, are the most plentiful stars in the Galaxy, and are known to host systems with multiple planets, suggesting a new, major planetary population. They are also the likeliest hosts for rocky planets. For these reasons, there is a strong likelihood that the first habitable, Earth-like planet will be found orbiting an M-dwarf star. However, the question of whether any of the planets discovered so far around M-dwarf stars are habitable is complicated by how close they are to their stars, and the tightly packed nature of these systems. This close packing can result in strong tidal effects, including changes in the rotation rate of a planet, and the effect on climate has not yet been explored. Ms. Shields will conduct the first comprehensive study of the effect of these interactions on the climate and habitability of M-dwarf multiple-planet systems. This work will ultimately provide an integrated model for assessing the habitability potential of M-dwarf systems discovered by ground- and space-based telescopes. Ms. Shields will also develop and implement an innovative, science communication-based astronomy workshop entitled, "The Universe: More Than Meets the Eye" for middle-school girls of color in Los Angeles, CA and Cambridge, MA. She will train high-school girls as teaching assistants for future workshop sessions, and create a teaching guide based on the workshop, providing a multi-tiered, bi-coastal approach to interactive enrichment in astronomy for girls from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences.To carry out this work, Ms. Shields will leverage her expertise in the climate modeling of M-dwarf planets, and the observational data and planetary dynamics expertise of collaborators at both institutions. She will run n-body and climate simulations for eight of the known potentially habitable planets in confirmed multiple-planet systems Kepler-32, Kepler-42, GJ 667 C, and Gl 581. This will be the first time that n-body dynamical constraints will be coupled to global climate models. She will apply her model to potentially habitable planets in new systems as they are discovered. She will also leverage her background in astronomy, theater, and science communication to create activities that excite and engage ethnic minority girls in the field of astronomy at a crucial stage in their development, using methods that encourage individual self-expression interwoven with scientific engagement and discovery. Her training of high-school girls to assume leadership roles as workshop teachers and junior mentors will help empower the next generation of young leaders in STEM fields. Ms. Shields will create and disseminate a teachers' guide that will expand the benefits of this workshop beyond the girls she works with directly.

Aomawa Shields女士被授予NSF天文学和天体物理学博士后奖学金，在洛杉矶的加州大学和哈佛-史密森天体物理中心开展研究和教育计划。M矮星比我们的太阳小得多，温度也低得多，是银河系中最丰富的恒星，并且已知拥有多个行星的系统，这表明有一个新的，主要的行星群。它们也是岩石行星最有可能的宿主。由于这些原因，很有可能发现第一颗可居住的类地行星围绕M矮星星星运行。然而，到目前为止在M矮星周围发现的行星是否适合居住的问题是复杂的，因为它们与恒星的距离有多近，以及这些系统的紧密堆积性质。这种紧密的堆积会导致强烈的潮汐效应，包括行星自转速度的变化，对气候的影响尚未被探索。Shields女士将对这些相互作用对M矮多行星系统的气候和可居住性的影响进行首次全面研究。这项工作最终将提供一个综合模型，用于评估地面和空间望远镜发现的M矮星系统的可居住性潜力。Shields女士还将为加利福尼亚州洛杉矶和马萨诸塞州剑桥的有色人种中学女生开发和实施一个创新的、以科学传播为基础的天文学讲习班，题为“宇宙：不止是眼睛看到的”。她将培训高中女生作为未来研讨会的助教，并根据研讨会创建一个教学指南，为来自历史上在科学领域代表性不足的群体的女孩提供一个多层次，双海岸的方法来互动丰富天文学。为了开展这项工作，Shields女士将利用她在M-矮行星气候建模方面的专业知识，以及两个机构合作者的观测数据和行星动力学专业知识。她将对已确认的多行星系统Kepler-32、Kepler-42、GJ 667 C和Gl 581中的8颗已知潜在宜居行星进行n体和气候模拟。这将是第一次将n体动力学约束耦合到全球气候模式。她将把她的模型应用于新系统中发现的潜在宜居行星。她还将利用她在天文学，戏剧和科学传播方面的背景，创造激发和吸引少数民族女孩在天文学领域的活动，在他们发展的关键阶段，使用鼓励个人自我表达与科学参与和发现交织在一起的方法。她培训高中女生担任车间教师和初级导师的领导角色，将有助于增强STEM领域下一代年轻领导者的能力。Shields女士将编写和分发一份教师指南，这将扩大这个讲习班的好处，使其不仅仅限于与她直接合作的女孩。