RUI: Quasar Structure, Cosmology and Lens Galaxy Structure from X-Ray and Optical Microlensing in Lensed Quasar Systems

在这个计划中进行的研究包括在美国海军天文台（USNO）的弗拉格斯塔夫站进行观测，以监测12个引力透镜类星体的光波长。在摩根博士的指导下，美国海军学院的本科生将使用点扩散函数建模来测量每个类星体的多个图像的通量，并随着时间的推移绘制详细的光变曲线。 透镜图像之间的时间延迟将用于限制透镜星系的质量分布和暗物质含量，并将提供哈勃常数的独立测量。 透镜星系中恒星的微透镜效应也将通过不相关的变化来解决，从而限制类星体吸积盘。 更广泛的影响包括培训本科生和社区外联。调查员通过开放的天文台之夜和AstroKids活跃在当地社区，AstroKids是一个面向小学生的动手天文学项目。这笔赠款还将为仪器实验室提供部分资金，以支持新成立的天体物理学专业。

The research to be conducted in this program involves observations at the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO), Flagstaff Station to monitor 12 gravitationally lensed quasars at optical wavelengths. Under the supervision of Dr. Morgan, undergraduates at the US Naval Academy will measure the flux of the multiple images of each quasar using point-spread function modeling, developing detailed light curves over time . Time delays between lensed images will be used to place constraints on the mass profiles and dark matter content of the lensing galaxy and will provide independent measurements of the Hubble Constant. Microlensing by stars in the lensing galaxies will also be addressed via uncorrelated variations, leading to constraints on quasar accretion disks. Broader impacts include training of undergraduate students and community outreach. The investigator is active in the local community through open observatory nights and AstroKids, a hands-on astronomy program for elementary school children. The grant will also provide a portion of the funding for an instrumentation lab to support the newly formed astrophysics major.