Collaborative Research: Prediction of a Red Nova Outburst in the Star KIC 9832227

合作研究：KIC 9832227 恒星中红色新星爆发的预测

• 批准号: 1716718
• 负责人: Henry Kobulnicky
• 金额: $ 20.28万
• 依托单位: University of Wyoming
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-07-01 至 2023-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1716718&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Prediction; Red; Nova

Novae are stars that brighten dramatically almost overnight. The investigators predict that the star KIC9832227 will become a nova early in the year 2022 with an uncertainty of about six months. This star has been identified as a binary (two stars orbiting each other), with the two stars practically touching. The period of revolution of the two stars is decreasing in a manner similar to that of another star which did become a nova; the research team predicts that in 2022 they will actually merge to become one star, emitting an enormous amount of energy. The team plans to study the star further using the Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Long Baseline Array, and several other telescopes. They will determine the properties of the two stars and monitor the changing period of revolution. They will also test models for how stars merge. They will collaborate with educators to produce education materials, consistent with science standards, for 6-12 grade students and teachers. Undergraduates at their two institutions will be involved in the research.The investigators determined that the period of revolution of KIC9832227 was decreasing in an exponential manner similar to an earlier nova, V1309 Sco. Archival research enabled researchers to determine that the period of this earlier nova also decreased exponentially. The team has considered other factors, such as additional companion stars, that could have caused the period change. They propose to monitor the period changes with small telescopes. They will also study the system further using large telescopes with spectrographs to rule out faint, as yet undiscovered, companion stars. Most novae have undergone previous mass loss, and they are proposing to use infrared and coronographic studies to detect the effects of dust around the star.

新星是一种几乎在一夜之间显著变亮的恒星。研究人员预测，这颗恒星KIC9832227将在2022年初变成一颗新星，不确定性约为6个月。这颗恒星已被确定为双星（两颗恒星相互环绕），这两颗恒星实际上是相互接触的。这两颗恒星的公转周期以一种类似于另一颗成为新星的恒星的方式减少；研究小组预测，到2022年，它们将合并成一颗恒星，释放出巨大的能量。该团队计划利用哈勃太空望远镜、甚长基线阵列和其他几架望远镜进一步研究这颗恒星。他们将确定这两颗恒星的性质，并监测其公转周期的变化。他们还将测试恒星如何合并的模型。他们将与教育工作者合作，为6-12年级的学生和教师制作符合科学标准的教材。这两所大学的本科生将参与这项研究。研究人员确定，KIC9832227的公转周期与早期的新星V1309 Sco类似，呈指数型递减。档案研究使研究人员确定这颗早期新星的周期也呈指数下降。研究小组还考虑了其他可能导致周期变化的因素，比如额外的伴星。他们建议用小型望远镜监测周期变化。他们还将使用带有光谱仪的大型望远镜进一步研究该系统，以排除尚未发现的微弱伴星。大多数新星都经历了先前的质量损失，他们建议使用红外和日冕研究来探测恒星周围尘埃的影响。