Detecting Companions of the Most Massive Stars

长期以来，关于大质量恒星周围的近伴星的质量分布存在分歧。了解伴星的质量和轨道特征对于理解大质量恒星的形成、演化以及x射线双星和伽马射线暴的祖星系群至关重要。为了解决这一差异，首席研究员将带领一个由研究生、本科生、学校教师和他们的学生组成的团队进行一个为期3年的项目，该项目非常适合怀俄明州2.3米望远镜的能力，以测量年轻且人口众多的天鹅座OB2星系中一个完整的大质量恒星样本的频率、质量比和轨道距离。该团队将扩大怀俄明望远镜的视野，并在该协会的数百颗大质量恒星中对食双星进行光学光度变异性搜索，并继续对天鹅座OB2中约140颗大质量恒星的完整样本进行径向速度调查，延长时间基础，并开始测量它们的周期和质量比。多历元光谱将作为在线数据库发布，供社区使用。更广泛的影响。该项目将回答基本的天体物理学问题，同时涉及到从光学和数据分析到结果展示的天文学研究的各个方面，包括来自大部分农村社区和美国土著学校的学生和教师。这是怀俄明大学物理天文系基础科学技术基础设施现代化长期努力的一部分。怀俄明州太空营，一个模块化的，长期的教育/研究企业，怀俄明州的科学教师，班级和大学生参与真正的科学也将启动。太空营项目促进了国家科学院标准和怀俄明州8年级科学内容和表现标准

AST 0307778PI KobulnickyThere is a long-standing discrepancy regarding the mass distribution of close companions around massive stars. Knowing the companions' masses and orbital characteristics is crucial for understanding massive star formation, evolution, and the progenitor populations of X-ray binaries and gamma-ray bursts. To resolve this discrepancy, the principle investigator will lead a team of graduate students, undergraduate students, school teachers and their students on a 3-year program, ideally suited to the capabilities of Wyoming's 2.3 m telescope, to measure the frequencies, mass ratios and orbital separations of a complete sample of massive stars in the young and populous Cygnus OB2 association. The team will increase the field of view on Wyoming's telescope and perform an optical photometric variability search for eclipsing binaries among the hundreds of massive stars in the association, and continue a radial velocity survey of a complete sample of about 140 massive stars in Cygnus OB2, extending the time base, and beginning to measure their periods and mass ratios. The multi-epoch spectra will be published as an online database available to the community.Broader Impact. This program will answer fundamental astrophysical questions while involving students and teachers from largely-rural communities and native-American schools in all aspects of astronomy research from optics and data analysis to the presentation of results. This is part of a long-term effort to modernize the basic science & technology infrastructure at the University of Wyoming Physics & Astronomy Department. The Wyoming Space Camp, a modular, long-term education/research enterprise where Wyoming's science teachers, classes, and college students participate in real science will also be initiated. The Space Camp program promotes the National Academy of Sciences standards and the Wyoming Grade 8 Science Content and Performance Standards