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

2017年首次探测到来自中子星合并的引力波和光，开启了“多信使”天体物理学的新时代。它为短伽马射线暴的起源、宇宙重元素的产生（如金和铂）以及致密物体合并（如中子星和黑洞）的相对论性流出提供了直接证据。当中子星合并时，它们会产生电磁光，包括爆炸的“千新星”辐射，这种辐射在光学和近红外波段只能看到几天。然而，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其进行深入研究，还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。搜索包括两个发现望远镜和一组1-10米望远镜，用于即时和频繁地监测新的千新星。作为该项目的一部分，研究人员在西班牙裔服务社区学院开设了一门课程，向所有技能水平的学生介绍基本的python编程，并让他们了解STEM/学术未来的样子。在第四次高级探测器运行期间（O4）及以后，研究人员将利用新的发现机器（Kitt Peak上的Bok 2.3米望远镜）对引力波事件进行全面的发现和后续观测。至关重要的是，他们将使用最新升级的软件，其中包括引力波定位区域内传入瞬变的预先审查（通过与其他瞬变调查和相关目录交叉匹配）和工具，以便在同一天晚上触发可行对应的光度和光谱资源。最终，该团队将测量新千新星样本的颜色和光谱演变，以解开投影效应，并测量物理性质，如组成、喷出物质量和速度。只有通过对应物的样本，才能获得千新星的真实物理图像。研究人员还将对宿主星系和千新星周围的恒星进行深入观测，这将限制与球状星团的联系，并量化合并地点、宿主星系恒星形成和其他星系特性之间的偏移。这些观测结果将限制导致致密天体合并的可行途径。这个项目推进了“宇宙大构想之窗”的目标。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。

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.