Collaborative Research: WoU-MMA: Searches After Gravitational-waves Using Arizona's Observatories (SAGUARO)

合作研究：WoU-MMA：利用亚利桑那州天文台 (SAGUARO) 搜索引力波

• 批准号: 2308182
• 负责人: Wen-fai Fong
• 金额: $ 33.7万
• 依托单位: Northwestern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2308182&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; WoU; MMA; Searches

The first detection in 2017 of both gravitational waves and light from a neutron star merger opened a new era of ‘multi-messenger’ astrophysics. It provided direct evidence for the origin of short gamma ray bursts, cosmic heavy element production (like gold and platinum), and the launching of relativistic outflows from compact object mergers (like neutron stars and black holes). When neutron stars merge, they can produce electromagnetic light, including explosive ‘kilonova’ emission that is visible in the optical and near-infrared for only a few days. With only one such detection thus far, however, there is still much to learn by identifying the systems that produce gravitational wave events and studying them intensely. The investigators will run an electromagnetic observing campaign associated with gravitational wave detector observations. The search incorporates two discovery telescopes and a set of 1-10m telescopes for immediate and frequent monitoring of new kilonovae. As part of this project, the investigators have developed a course at a Hispanic Serving Community College, which will introduce students of all skill levels to basic python programming and to give them a view of what a STEM/academic future looks like. The investigators will carry out comprehensive discovery and follow-up observations of gravitational wave events during the fourth Advanced Detector run (O4) and beyond, taking advantage of a new discovery machine (the Bok 2.3-m telescope on Kitt Peak). Crucially, they will use newly upgraded software, which includes pre-vetting of incoming transients within the gravitational wave localization region (by cross-matching with other transient surveys and relevant catalogs) and tools to enable same-night triggering of photometric and spectroscopic resources on viable counterparts. Ultimately the team will measure the color and spectroscopic evolution of a sample of new kilonovae to disentangle projection effects and measure physical properties such as the composition, ejecta mass and velocity. It is only with a sample of counterparts that a true physical picture of kilonovae can be obtained. The investigators will also carry out deep observations of the host galaxies and stellar environs of kilonovae, which will constrain associations to globular clusters and quantify offsets between the merger site, host galaxy star formation, and other galaxy properties. These observations will constrain the viable pathways that lead to compact object mergers. This project advances the goals of the Windows on the Universe Big Idea.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.

2017年首次探测到中子星合并产生的引力波和光，开启了多信使天体物理学的新纪元。它为短伽马射线爆发、宇宙重元素(如金和铂)的产生以及致密天体合并(如中子星和黑洞)的相对论外流的产生提供了直接证据。当中子星合并时，它们可以产生电磁光，包括爆炸性的千诺瓦辐射，这种辐射在光学和近红外中只有几天的时间是可见的。然而，由于到目前为止只有一次这样的探测，通过识别产生引力波事件的系统并对它们进行深入研究，仍然有很多东西需要学习。研究人员将开展一项与引力波探测器观测相关的电磁观测活动。这次搜索包括两个发现望远镜和一套1-10米的望远镜，用于立即和频繁地监测新的千年虫。作为该项目的一部分，研究人员在一所为拉美裔服务的社区学院开发了一门课程，将向所有技能水平的学生介绍基本的蟒蛇编程，并让他们了解STEM/学术未来是什么样子。研究人员将利用一台新的发现机器(基特峰上的BOK 2.3米望远镜)，在第四次先进探测器运行(O4)期间及以后对引力波事件进行全面的发现和后续观测。至关重要的是，他们将使用新升级的软件，其中包括预先审查引力波定位区域内的传入瞬变(通过与其他瞬变探测和相关星表进行交叉匹配)和工具，以便能够在夜间触发可行的对应物上的光度和光谱资源。最终，该团队将测量一组新的千年星体的颜色和光谱演变，以解开投影效应，并测量物理性质，如成分、喷出物质量和速度。只有通过相应的样本，才能获得奇诺瓦病毒的真实物理图像。研究人员还将对KERONOVE的宿主星系和恒星环境进行深入观测，这将限制球状星团的联系，并量化合并地点、宿主星系恒星形成和其他星系属性之间的偏移。这些观察将限制导致紧凑物体合并的可行路径。这个项目推进了宇宙大理想之窗的目标。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。