Excellence in Research: Time Domain Astronomy in the Caribbean: Detecting and Characterizing the Fastest Astrophysical Transient Events

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This research project seeks to exploit the unique location of the University of the Virgin Islands Robotic Telescope (VIRT) to monitor and detect short-lived (transient) and explosive astronomical events. The VIRT is in a "blind spot" in the global coverage of astronomical transient events, and its robotic capability allows it to respond within minutes of the identification of such events. This will allow new discoveries as well as rapid monitoring of known transient events from ongoing multi-wavelength observational surveys, allowing astronomers to characterize transient events at multiple wavelengths and understand the mechanisms responsible for them. By supporting a postdoctoral researcher, this project will strengthen the astronomy research program at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI). It will also provide research opportunities for students in the Physics program at UVI. The research team will implement a real-time data analysis pipeline for the VIRT, create a lightcurve template database, and build a modern machine-learning infrastructure for rapid classification of astronomical transient events. The project will bolster the research and education programs at UVI by supporting a dedicated postdoctoral researcher and involving undergraduate students in several aspects of the project. It will thus help realize UVI?s potential in research and help establish it as a major research and education institution.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.