MRI: Acquisition of instrumentation for a node in the global SONG observing network for ultra high-precision seismology of bright stars

新墨西哥州的SONG是一个机器人望远镜，结合了一个超精密光谱仪，它将成为恒星观测网络组（SONG）的补充。这项国际合作将获得对明亮、振荡恒星的近连续观测，以研究它们的结构。了解恒星是天体物理学的一个基本目标，因为恒星是星系和宇宙的最基本组成部分。这将是美国参与全球SONG项目的唯一设施。它将为实现科学目标所需的24小时覆盖提供关键环节。这些观测结果将使人们更好地了解各种各样的恒星，包括拥有类地行星的目标恒星。这个新设施与新墨西哥州立大学学生和教师对天文学的兴趣有很大的重叠，提供了长期的教育和研究利益和承诺。振荡的恒星内部有湍流运动，产生声波，导致大多数恒星摆动，像铃铛一样响。测量和分析这些声波振荡是研究恒星内部的主要手段。该项目将获得和组装一架望远镜和摄谱仪，这将填补专门用于每天24小时监测振荡恒星的全球卫星监测网络的空白。最先进的摄谱仪来自一个经过良好测试的设计，并且已经证明径向速度精度约为每秒1米。该设施的目标是执行恒星的星震学，以获得尽可能详细的信息，并在类太阳恒星周围寻找和描述类地行星。它补充了过去、现在和未来具有类似科学目标的太空任务。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

SONG in New Mexico is a robotic telescope combined with an ultra-precise spectrograph that will be an addition to the Stellar Observations Network Group (SONG). This international collaboration will obtain near-continuous observations of bright, oscillating stars in order to study their structure. Understanding stars is a fundamental goal of astrophysics as stars are the most basic building blocks of galaxies and the universe. This will be the only U.S. participating facility in the global SONG project. It will provide the key link to allow 24-hour coverage that is needed to accomplish the scientific goals. The observations will lead to an improved understanding of a wide variety of stars, including target stars that host Earth-like planets. This new facility overlaps significantly with the interests of the students and faculty in astronomy at New Mexico State University, providing long-term educational and research benefits and commitment.Oscillating stars have turbulent motions within them that generate sound waves that cause the majority of them to wobble and ring like bells. The measurement and analysis of these acoustic oscillations is the primary means to study the interior of a star. This project will acquire and assemble a telescope and spectrograph instrument that will close a gap in the world-wide SONG network dedicated to monitoring oscillating stars 24 hours per day. The state-of-the-art spectrograph comes from a well-tested design and has already demonstrated radial-velocity precision of about 1 meter-per-second. The goals this facility enables are to perform asteroseismology of stars to obtain the most detailed information possible, and to search for and characterize Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars. It complements past, current, and future space missions with similar science goals.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.