Fundamental Stellar Parameters and Astrophysics from the CHARA Array

该奖将为佐治亚州立大学高角分辨率天文学中心（CHARA）的运作提供持续支持，该中心在加利福尼亚州威尔逊山上运行一个光学/近红外干涉阵列。自2004年开始运作以来，CHARA观测已经导致了许多新的、基本的测量，包括首次直接探测到一颗恒星上的重力变暗，首次探测到一颗主序星周围的热外黄道尘埃，第一次测量系外行星的恒星主直径，从而测量其凌日行星的线性直径，第一次测量银晕中金属丰度低的恒星的角直径，第一次直接拍摄短周期相互作用的双星，第一次拍摄日食中的双星系统。在持续的资金支持下，该阵列将推动光学和红外干涉测量技术的发展，测量恒星的角直径，当与光度测量相结合时，可以得到有效温度，并与视差相结合，可以得到线直径。干涉测量法还将用于测量恒星形状，探测星周盘和包层，并解析双星以确定恒星质量和探测相互作用系统的特征。除了在恒星天体物理学的许多领域产生重大的潜在科学影响外，该项目还将有助于培训干涉测量领域的下一代专家。数据产品和干涉测量技术将被纳入佐治亚州立大学的本科课程，研究小组将继续在非正式教育和公众宣传工作中努力。

This award will provide continuing support for the operations of Georgia State University's Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA), which operates an optical/near infrared interferometric array on Mount Wilson, CA. Since beginning operations in 2004, CHARA observations have led to a number of new, fundamental measurements, including the first direct detection of gravity darkening on a single star, the first detection of hot exozodiacal dust around a main-sequence star, the first measurement of an exoplanets stellar host diameter and hence the linear diameter of its transiting planet, the first angular diameter for a low-metallicity star in the galactic halo, the first direct image of a short-period interacting binary, and the first image of a binary star system in eclipse. With continued funding, the array will advance the development of optical and infrared interferometry the measurement of stellar angular diameters, which when combined with photometry yield effective temperatures and with parallaxes yield linear diameters. Interferometry will also be used to measure stellar shapes, detect circumstellar disks and envelopes, and resolve binary stars to determine stellar masses and probe features of interacting systems.In addition to a significant potential scientific impact in many areas of stellar astrophysics, the project will contribute to the training of the next generation of experts in the field of interferometry. Data products and the techniques of interferometry will be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum at Georgia State University, and the research team will continue their efforts in informal education and public outreach efforts.