Periodic Phenomena and Evolution in Cataclysmic Binaries

主要研究员（PI）帕特森领导后院天体物理中心（CBA），这是业余和专业天文学家之间的全球合作，以监测灾难变量（CV）。 CV是在紧密轨道上的两颗恒星，一颗星星是白色（WD），另一颗是类似于我们太阳的星星。WD从其同伴的外层窃取物质，导致观察到的亮度发生快速变化。业余天文学家协调他们的努力，全年监测CV，并在爆发期间进行密集的观测活动，以进一步了解这些复杂的双星星星系统。CBA是一个成熟的小组，将继续提供精确的测光轨道和磁盘岁差周期，以及大约120个CV的闪烁和爆发的准确数据。成员们协调来自广泛经度范围的观测，以确保在爆发期间近一天的CV覆盖范围。在过去25年中，协调一致的团队努力和奉献精神导致了150多份出版物。一个主要的结果是发现了SU Uma型矮新星的超级峰信号。这个超级驼峰可能是由于WD盘的周期性潮汐应力引起的，该团队将继续调查这些奇怪的现象。这个奖项反映了NSF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。

Principal Investigator (PI) Patterson leads the Center for Backyard Astrophysics (CBA), a worldwide collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers to monitor Cataclysmic Variables (CVs). CVs are two stars in a tight orbit, one star is a white dwarf (WD) and the other is a star similar to our sun. The WD steals material from the outer layers of its companion causing rapid and varying changes in the observed brightness. The amateur astronomers coordinate their efforts to monitor the CVs throughout the year and conduct intense observing campaigns during outbursts to further our understanding of these complex binary star systems. The CBA is a well-established group and will continue to provide precise photometric orbital and disk precession periods, and accurate data on flickering and outbursts for approximately 120 CVs. The members coordinate observations from a wide range of longitude to ensure near day-long coverage of CVs during outbursts. The concerted team effort and dedication over the past 25 years has resulted in over 150 publications. A major result was the discovery of superhump signals from SU Uma-type dwarf novae. The superhump may be caused by periodic tidal stressing of the WD disk and the team will continue their investigation of these strange phenomena.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.