Investigations of Binary Star Properties and Evolutionary Processes with the CHARA Array Interferometer

与最大的地面望远镜相比，长基线光学干涉测量法可以在更小的尺度上测量（甚至成像）结构。研究人员将继续充分利用位于加州威尔逊山上的乔治亚州立大学高角分辨率天文学中心（CHARA）干涉仪阵列。这是唯一一个由大学运行的长基线光学干涉仪，因此它为学生提供了一个独特的机会来培训这一最先进的技术。这个项目的结果将在乔治亚州立大学的本科课程和南加州威尔逊山研究所的公共宣传工作中得到体现。该提案提出了一个由三部分组成的研究，将使用CHARA光学长基线干涉仪阵列来确定近距离双星系统中恒星在相互作用和交换质量之前、期间和之后的基本恒星和星周特性。干涉测量提供的高角分辨率将允许他们测量超过200个非相互作用的光谱双星的轨道，这将允许直接确定组成质量和间接确定其他物理参数。他们还将能够对正在交换物质的双星中的星周物质进行成像。最后，他们将在精心挑选的已经经历了质量传递的系统样本中寻找研究不充分的供体恒星。

Long baseline optical interferometry allows measurement (and even imaging) of structure on smaller scales than can be obtained even with the largest ground-based telescopes. The investigators will continue to make excellent use of Georgia State's Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) interferometer array on Mt. Wilson in California. This is the only long-baseline optical interferometer run by a university, so it provides a unique opportunity for student training in this state-of-the art technology. Results from this program will be featured in undergraduate classes at Georgia State and in the southern California public outreach efforts of the Mt. Wilson Institute.The proposal presents a three-part investigation that will use the CHARA optical long-baseline interferometer array to determine fundamental stellar and circumstellar properties of stars in close binary systems before, during, and after they interact and exchange mass. The high angular resolution provided by interferometry will permit them to measure the orbits of over 200 non-interacting spectroscopic binaries, which will allow direct determination of component masses and indirect determination of other physical parameters. They will also be able to image circumstellar material in binary stars that are currently exchanging material. Finally, they will search for the poorly-stuied donor stars in a carefully-selected sample of systems that have already undergone mass transfer.