DOCSLIB.ORG

Report by the ESA-ESO Working Group on Galactic Populations, Chemistry and Dynamics

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Report by the ESA-ESO Working Group on Galactic Populations, Chemistry and Dynamics Report by the ESA-ESO Working Group on Galactic populations, chemistry and dynamics Abstract Between the early 40s, when Baade showed the first evidence for the existence of two distinct stellar populations, and today, with our Galaxy surprising us with new substructures discovered almost on a monthly basis, it is clear that a remarkable progress has been achieved in our understanding of the Galaxy, of its structure and stellar populations, and of its chemical and dynamical signatures. Yet, some questions have remained open and have proven to be very challenging. The main task of this Working Group has been to review the state-of-the- art knowledge of the Milky Way galaxy, to identify the future challenges, and to propose which tools (in terms of facilities, infrastructures, instruments, science policies) would be needed to successfully tackle and solve the remaining open questions. Considering the leadership position that Europe has reached in the field of Galactic astronomy (thanks to the Hipparcos mission and the Very Large Telescope) and looking at the (near-)future major initiatives it has undertaken (VISTA and VST survey telescopes, Gaia mission), this work clearly has been very timely. It is of uttermost importance for European astronomy to keep and further consolidate its leading position. This Working Group has made recommendations that would allow dissecting our backyard laboratory, the Galaxy, even further. ESO survey telescopes about to become operational and the upcoming ESA Gaia mission are a guarantee for opening new horizons and making new discoveries. We, the astronomers, with the support of our funding agencies, are ready to fully commit to the best exploitation of the treasure that is ahead of us. The main recommendations this Working Group has made to ESA and ESO are to guarantee the expected tremendous capabilities of these new facilities, to vigourously organise their synergies and to jointly give ways to European astronomers to be leaders in the exploitation of their output data. Background Following an agreement to cooperate on science planning issues, the executives of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) Science Programme and representatives of their science advisory structures have met to share information and to identify potential synergies within their future projects. The agreement arose from their joint founding membership of EIROforum (www.eiroforum.org) and a recognition that, as pan-European or- ganisations, they serve essentially the same scientific community. At a meeting at ESO in Garching during September 2003, it was agreed to establish a number of working groups that would be tasked to explore these synergies in important areas of mutual interest and to make recommendations to both organisations. The chair and co-chair of each group were to be chosen by the executives but thereafter, the groups would be free to select their membership and to act independently of the sponsoring organisations. The following membership and terms of reference for the working group on “Galactic populations, chemistry and dynamics” was agreed on: Membership Catherine Turon (Chair) [email protected] Francesca Primas (Co-Chair) [email protected] James Binney [email protected] Cristina Chiappini [email protected] Janet Drew [email protected] Amina Helmi [email protected] Annie Robin [email protected] Sean Ryan [email protected] Additional contributors: Yveline Lebreton, Fran¸coise Combes Organisation and coordination: Wolfram Freudling Thanks and acknowledgments Thanks are also due to Ted Dame, Mike Irwin, Sergio Molinari, Toby Moore, Stuart Sale, Eline Tolstoy, and Sandro D’Odorico who provided figures or advanced information on their work. ii Terms of Reference (1) To outline the current state of knowledge of the field. (This is not intended as a free-standing review but more as an introduction to set the scene.) (2) To review the observational and experimental methods used or envisaged for the characterisation of the Galactic population and dynamics. (3) To perform a worldwide survey of the relevant programmes and associated instruments that are operational, planned or proposed, both on the ground andinspace. (4) For each of these, to summarise the scope and specific goals of the observa- tion/experiment and to point out the limitations and possible extensions; (5) Within the context of this global effort, examine the role of ESO and ESA facilities; analyse their expected scientific returns; identify areas of potential overlap and thus assess the extent to which the facilities complement or com- pete; identify open areas that merit attention by one or both organisations and suggest ways in which they could be addressed. (6) Make an independent assessment of the scientific cases for large facilities planned or proposed. (7) Propose sets of recommendations on how ESO and ESA, both separately and together, can optimise the exploitation of current and planned missions, and how the agencies can collaborate in the planning of future missions. (8) The chair of the working group is appointed by ESO and ESA. The chair will select a co-chair. Other working group membership will be established by the chair and co-chair. The resulting views and recommendations made in the final report will be the responsibility of the group alone. A final report should be submitted to ESO and ESA by mid-2008. Catherine Cesarsky(ESO) Alvaro Gim´enez (ESA) December 2006 iii Contents Membership ii Terms of Reference iii 1 Executive summary 1 2 Introduction 3 3 Outline of the current state of knowledge of the field 7 3.1ThemainstructuresoftheGalaxy.................. 7 3.1.1 Thehalo............................. 8 3.1.2 The bulge ............................ 9 3.1.3 Thedisc............................. 11 3.1.4 Fossil populations . ....................... 15 3.1.5 Gasanddustcontent...................... 16 3.1.6 OBassociationsandopenclusters............... 18 3.1.7 The globular clusters . ..................... 19 3.1.8 The satellites .......................... 21 3.2Presentdaystar-formationcensus...................22 3.2.1 The present day initial mass function . ............ 23 3.2.2 Environmentalfactorsinstarformation........... 24 3.2.3 Starformationasastructuretracer.............. 26 3.2.4 Starclustersandtheclustermassfunction.......... 30 3.2.5 StarformationprofilealongtheGalacticplane........ 31 3.2.6 Interactions with the intergalactic medium (IGM) . ..... 34 3.3Dynamics................................ 37 iv 3.3.1 The central few parsecs ..................... 38 3.3.2 The bar/bulge .......................... 39 3.3.3 Therotationcurve....................... 42 3.3.4 Thesolarneighbourhood.................... 45 3.3.5 Spiral structure ......................... 46 3.3.6 Tidal shredding ......................... 48 3.3.7 Thewarp............................ 49 3.3.8 Darkmatter........................... 51 3.4 Composition, kinematics and ages of stellar populations . ...... 55 3.4.1 Age determinations ....................... 55 3.4.2 Stellaryields.......................... 59 3.4.3 Timescales............................ 60 3.4.4 Primordialnucleosynthesis...................62 3.4.5 Ages, kinematics, and chemical abundances ......... 67 3.4.6 Comparative studies in the Local Group ........... 70 3.5Galaxyassemblyandevolution.................... 74 3.5.1 Historyofthehalo....................... 75 3.5.2 History of the bulge ....................... 76 3.5.3 Historyofthedisc....................... 78 3.5.4 History of the globular-cluster system ............. 82 4 The Galaxy and the Local Group as templates 84 4.1Toconstrainstellarevolutionmodelsandtheiruncertainties.... 84 4.2 To constrain population synthesis models . .............. 92 4.3Toconstraingalaxyformationmodels................. 94 v 4.4 To constrain dynamical models and theories of the nature of dark matterandgravity........................... 95 4.5 To interpret observations of galaxies beyond the Local Group . 98 5 Top questions, and proposed solutions 101 5.1Globalquestionsandproposedsolutions...............101 5.1.1 Which stars form and have been formed where? . ......101 5.1.2 What is the mass distribution throughout the Galaxy? . 102 5.1.3 WhatisthespiralstructureofourGalaxy?.........103 5.1.4 HowismasscycledthroughtheGalaxy?...........104 5.1.5 How universal is the initial mass function? . ........106 5.1.6 What is the impact of metal-free stars on Galaxy evolution? 107 5.1.7 WhatisthemerginghistoryoftheGalaxy?.........108 5.1.8 IstheGalaxyconsistentwithΛCDM?............109 5.2Thecentralpc..............................111 5.2.1 Openquestions.........................111 5.2.2 Toolsandtracers........................111 5.2.3 Facilities . ............................112 5.3 The bar/bulge . .............................112 5.3.1 Openquestions.........................112 5.3.2 Toolsandtracers........................113 5.3.3 Facilities . ............................114 5.4Thethindisc..............................114 5.4.1 Openquestions.........................115 5.4.2 Toolsandtracers........................116 5.4.3 Facilities . ............................116 vi 5.5Thethickdisc..............................117 5.5.1 Openquestions.........................118 5.5.2 Toolsandtracers........................119 5.5.3 Facilities .............................119 5.6Thestellarhalo.............................120 5.6.1 Openquestions.........................120 5.6.2 Toolsandtracers........................121 5.6.3 Facilities .............................122
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Habitability on Local, Galactic and Cosmological Scales
    Habitability on local, Galactic and cosmological scales Luigi Secco1 • Marco Fecchio1 • Francesco Marzari1 Abstract The aim of this paper is to underline con- detectable studying our site. The Climatic Astronom- ditions necessary for the emergence and development ical Theory is introduced in sect.5 in order to define of life. They are placed at local planetary scale, at the circumsolar habitable zone (HZ) (sect.6) while the Galactic scale and within the cosmological evolution, translation from Solar to extra-Solar systems leads to a as pointed out by the Anthropic Cosmological Princi- generalized circumstellar habitable zone (CHZ) defined ple. We will consider the circumstellar habitable zone in sect.7 with some exemplifications to the Gliese-667C (CHZ) for planetary systems and a Galactic Habitable and the TRAPPIST-1 systems; some general remarks Zone (GHZ) including also a set of strong cosmologi- follow (sect.8). A first conclusion related to CHZ is cal constraints to allow life (cosmological habitability done moving toward GHZ and COSH (sect.9). The (COSH)). Some requirements are specific of a single conditions for the development of life are indeed only scale and its related physical phenomena, while others partially connected to the local scale in which a planet are due to the conspired effects occurring at more than is located. A strong interplay between different scales one scale. The scenario emerging from this analysis is exists and each single contribution to life from individ- that all the habitability conditions here detailed must ual scales is difficult to be isolated. However we will at least be met.
    [Show full text]
  • The Large Scale Universe As a Quasi Quantum White Hole
    International Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Journal 3(1): 22-42, 2021; Article no.IAARJ.66092 The Large Scale Universe as a Quasi Quantum White Hole U. V. S. Seshavatharam1*, Eugene Terry Tatum2 and S. Lakshminarayana3 1Honorary Faculty, I-SERVE, Survey no-42, Hitech city, Hyderabad-84,Telangana, India. 2760 Campbell Ln. Ste 106 #161, Bowling Green, KY, USA. 3Department of Nuclear Physics, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-03, AP, India. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. Author UVSS designed the study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors ETT and SL managed the analyses of the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information Editor(s): (1) Dr. David Garrison, University of Houston-Clear Lake, USA. (2) Professor. Hadia Hassan Selim, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Egypt. Reviewers: (1) Abhishek Kumar Singh, Magadh University, India. (2) Mohsen Lutephy, Azad Islamic university (IAU), Iran. (3) Sie Long Kek, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia. (4) N.V.Krishna Prasad, GITAM University, India. (5) Maryam Roushan, University of Mazandaran, Iran. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/66092 Received 17 January 2021 Original Research Article Accepted 23 March 2021 Published 01 April 2021 ABSTRACT We emphasize the point that, standard model of cosmology is basically a model of classical general relativity and it seems inevitable to have a revision with reference to quantum model of cosmology. Utmost important point to be noted is that, ‘Spin’ is a basic property of quantum mechanics and ‘rotation’ is a very common experience.
    [Show full text]
  • Monthly Newsletter of the Durban Centre - March 2018
    Page 1 Monthly Newsletter of the Durban Centre - March 2018 Page 2 Table of Contents Chairman’s Chatter …...…………………….……….………..….…… 3 Andrew Gray …………………………………………...………………. 5 The Hyades Star Cluster …...………………………….…….……….. 6 At the Eye Piece …………………………………………….….…….... 9 The Cover Image - Antennae Nebula …….……………………….. 11 Galaxy - Part 2 ….………………………………..………………….... 13 Self-Taught Astronomer …………………………………..………… 21 The Month Ahead …..…………………...….…….……………..…… 24 Minutes of the Previous Meeting …………………………….……. 25 Public Viewing Roster …………………………….……….…..……. 26 Pre-loved Telescope Equipment …………………………...……… 28 ASSA Symposium 2018 ………………………...……….…......…… 29 Member Submissions Disclaimer: The views expressed in ‘nDaba are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily the views of the Durban Centre, nor the Editor. All images and content is the work of the respective copyright owner Page 3 Chairman’s Chatter By Mike Hadlow Dear Members, The third month of the year is upon us and already the viewing conditions have been more favourable over the last few nights. Let’s hope it continues and we have clear skies and good viewing for the next five or six months. Our February meeting was well attended, with our main speaker being Dr Matt Hilton from the Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit at UKZN who gave us an excellent presentation on gravity waves. We really have to be thankful to Dr Hilton from ACRU UKZN for giving us his time to give us presentations and hope that we can maintain our relationship with ACRU and that we can draw other speakers from his colleagues and other research students! Thanks must also go to Debbie Abel and Piet Strauss for their monthly presentations on NASA and the sky for the following month, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Particle Dark Matter in the Solar System
    Particle Dark Matter in the Solar System Annika H. G. Peter A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Princeton University in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Recommended for Acceptance by the Department of Physics June, 2008 c Copyright 2008 by Annika H. G. Peter. All rights reserved. Abstract Particle dark matter in the Galactic halo may be bound to the solar system either by elastic scattering through weak interactions with nucleons in the Sun (weak scattering) or by gravitational interactions with the planets, mainly Jupiter (gravitational capture). In this thesis, I simulate weak scattering, gravitational capture, and the subsequent evolution of the bound orbits to determine the distribution of bound dark matter at the position of the Earth. Previous work on this subject suggested that the event rate in dark matter detection experiments due to bound particles could be of order the event rate of halo particles in direct detection experiments, and several orders of magnitude higher for neutrinos arising from dark matter annihilation in the Earth. I use direct integration of orbits in a simplified solar system consisting of the Sun and Jupiter. I follow bound orbits until the particles are either rescattered in the Sun onto orbits that no longer intersect the Earth, ejected from the solar system, or reach the lifetime of the solar system tSS = 4.5 Gyr. Since many aspects of the particle orbits pose severe problems for traditional orbit integration methods, I develop a novel integration scheme for this problem, which has only small and oscillatory energy errors even for highly eccentric orbits over very long times.
    [Show full text]
  • The Oort Cloud As a Dynamical System
    Monograf´ıas de la Real Academia de Ciencias de Zaragoza 30, 1–9, (2006). The Oort cloud as a dynamical system S. Breiter Astronomical Observatory, Adam Mickiewicz University S loneczna 36, 60-286 Pozna´n, Poland. ∗ Abstract The Oort cloud is a formally simple dynamical system if we restrict its study to the heliocentric Kepler problem perturbed by the quadratic tidal potential of the Galaxy. Nonintegrability of this system leads to rich dynamics, shaped by the resonances of various nature. A new perturbation solution has helped to identify a class of resonances between the precessing nodes and the rotation of the Galaxy. 1 Introduction In 1950, J. H. Oort [10] proposed a hypothesis that long-periodic comets observed in the Solar System come from a cloud surrounding the Sun, instead of being some captured interstellar objects. This bold hypothesis, although initially backed up by the observations of merely 19 objects, has nowadays gained a common acceptance: the cloud is assumed to be a shell ranging from 50 to 100 kAU, populated by 1012 objects. What changed since the times of Oort, is the identification of the mechanism responsible for the transport of comets to the inner Solar System. Curiously, Oort – an expert in galactic dynamics – thought about the sporadic encounters with passing-by stars, whereas today the Galactic potential is considered the primary factor. The influence of our Galaxy is the only signif- icant factor of systematic nature that can influence cometary orbits. Other phenomena, like encounters with other stars and molecular clouds are by no means negligible, but they happen occasionally as a quasi-random forcing superimposed on the steady Galactic force background.
    [Show full text]
  • Cometary Evidence of a Massive Body in the Outer Oort Cloud
    Icarus 141, 354–366 (1999) Article ID icar.1999.6177, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on Cometary Evidence of a Massive Body in the Outer Oort Cloud J. J. Matese,1 P. G. Whitman, and D. P. Whitmire Department of Physics, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana, 70504-4210 E-mail: [email protected] Received September 9, 1998; revised March 11, 1999 been shown that the vast majority of these comets are first-time Approximately 25% of the 82 new class I Oort cloud comets have entrants into the inner planetary region (Fernandez 1981) and are an anomalous distribution of orbital elements that can best be un- therefore commonly refered to as new. We denote the original derstood if there exists a bound perturber in the outer Oort cloud. value of semimajor axis, prior to perturbation by the planets, as Statistically significant correlated anomalies include aphelia direc- A. More conveniently we discuss scaled original orbital energies tions, energies, perihelion distances, and signatures of the angu- x 106 AU/ A so that the range of interest is x 100. Accurate lar momentum change due to the Galaxy. The perturber, acting in determination of the original energies of near-parabolic comets concert with the galactic tide, causes these comets to enter the loss is made more difficult by observational uncertainties and out- cylinder—an interval of Oort cloud comet perihelion distances in the gassing. However, these effects do not substantively influence planetary region which is emptied by interactions with Saturn and Jupiter.More concisely, the impulse serves to smear the loss cylinder the determination of other orbital elements.
    [Show full text]
  • Combined Dynamical Effects of the Bar and Spiral Arms in a Galaxy Model
    A&A 615, A10 (2018) Astronomy https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201833035 & c ESO 2018 Astrophysics Combined dynamical effects of the bar and spiral arms in a Galaxy model. Application to the solar neighbourhood T. A. Michtchenko, J. R. D. Lépine, D. A. Barros, and R. S. S. Vieira Universidade de São Paulo, IAG, Rua do Matão 1226, Cidade Universitária, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Received 16 March 2018 / Accepted 17 April 2018 ABSTRACT Context. Observational data indicate that the Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy. Computation facilities and availability of data from Galactic surveys stimulate the appearance of models of the Galactic structure, however further efforts are needed to build dynamical models containing both spiral arms and the central bar/bulge. Aims. We expand the study of the stellar dynamics in the Galaxy by adding the bar/bulge component to a model with spiral arms introduced in one of our previous publications. The model is tested by applying it to the solar neighbourhood, where observational data are more precise. Methods. We model analytically the potential of the Galaxy to derive the force field in its equatorial plane. The model comprises an axisymmetric disc derived from the observed rotation curve, four spiral arms with Gaussian-shaped groove profiles, and a classical elongated/oblate ellipsoidal bar/bulge structure. The parameters describing the bar/bulge are constrained by observations and the stel- lar dynamics, and their possible limits are determined. 9 Results.
    [Show full text]
  • Nebular Line Emission During the Epoch of Reionization
    MNRAS 000,1{ ?? (2019) Preprint 27 March 2020 Compiled using MNRAS LATEX style file v3.0 Nebular Line Emission During the Epoch of Reionization Stephen M. Wilkins,1? Christopher C. Lovell,1 Ciaran Fairhurst,1 Yu Feng,2 Tiziana Di Matteo,3;4 Rupert Croft,3;4 Jussi Kuusisto,1 Aswin P. Vijayan,1 Peter Thomas,1 1 Astronomy Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QH, UK 3 Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA, 94720, USA 2 McWilliams Center for Cosmology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, 15213, USA 4 School of Physics, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. Accepted XXX. Received YYY; in original form ZZZ ABSTRACT Nebular emission lines associated with galactic Hii regions carry information about both physical properties of the ionised gas and the source of ionising photons as well as providing the opportunity of measuring accurate redshifts and thus distances once a cosmological model is assumed. While nebular line emission has been extensively studied at lower redshift there are currently only few constraints within the epoch of reionisation (EoR, z > 6), chiefly due to the lack of sensitive near-IR spectrographs. However, this will soon change with the arrival of the Webb Telescope providing sensi- tive near-IR spectroscopy covering the rest-frame UV and optical emission of galaxies in the EoR. In anticipation of Webb we combine the large cosmological hydrodynamical simulation BlueTides with photoionisation modelling to predict the nebular emission line properties of galaxies at z = 8 ! 13. We find good agreement with the, albeit limited, existing direct and indirect observational constraints on equivalent widths though poorer agreement with luminosity function constraints.
    [Show full text]
  • Observational Test of Environmental Effects on the Local Group Dwarf
    Observational Test of Environmental Effects on The Local Group Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies Naoyuki Tamura1 & Hiroyuki Hirashita1,2 1Department of Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan 2Research Fellow of Japan Society of the Promotion of Science Aug. 10, 1999 email: [email protected] Received ; accepted arXiv:astro-ph/9909005v1 1 Sep 1999 –2– ABSTRACT In this paper, we examine whether tidal forces exerted by the Galaxy or M31 have an influence on the Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) which are their companions. We focus on the surface brightness profiles of the dSphs, especially their core radii because it is suggested based on the numerical simulations that tidal disturbance can make core radii extended. We examine the correlation for the dSphs between the distances from their parent galaxy (the Galaxy or M31) and the compactnesses of their surface brightness profiles by using a parameter “C” defined newly in this paper. Consequently, we find no significant correlation. We make some remarks on the origin of this result by considering three possible scenarios; tidal picture, dark matter picture, and heterogeneity of the group of dSphs, each of which has been often discussed to understand fundamental properties and formation processes of dSphs. Subject headings: galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD— galaxies: evolution— galaxies: fundamental parameters— –3– 1. Introduction Recent observations have been revealing the physical properties of the Local Group 5 7 dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). The dSphs have luminosities of order 10 –10 L⊙, and are characterized by their low surface brightnesses (Gallagher & Wyse 1994 for review).
    [Show full text]
  • Tidal Effects on the Oort Cloud Comets and Dynamics of the Sun In
    Universita` Degli Studi di Padova Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia \G. Galilei" SCUOLA DI DOTTORATO DI RICERCA IN ASTRONOMIA CICLO XXVI Doctoral Thesis Tidal Effects on the Oort Cloud Comets and Dynamics of the Sun in the Spiral Arms of the Galaxy PhD School Director: Ch. mo Prof Giampaolo Piotto Supervisor: Ch. mo Prof. Luigi Secco PhD student:Alice De Biasi \If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.." Lucio Anneo Seneca UNIVERSITA` DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia \G. Galilei" SCUOLA DI DOTTORATO DI RICERCA IN ASTRONOMIA CICLO XXVI Abstract Tidal Effects on the Oort Cloud Comets and Dynamics of the Sun in the Spiral Arms of the Galaxy The Solar System presents a complex dynamical structure and is not isolated from the Galaxy. In particular the comet reservoir of our planetary system, the Oort cloud, is extremely sensitive to the the galactic environment due to its peripheral collocation inside the Solar System. In this framework, the growing evidences about a possible migration of the Sun open new research scenarios relative to the effects that such kind of migration might induce on the cometary motion. Following several previous studied, we identified the spiral arm structure as the main perturbation that is able to produce an efficient solar migration through the disk. Widening the classical model for the spiral arms, provided by Lin& Shu to a 3D formalism, we verified the compatibility between the presence of the spiral perturbation and a significant solar motion for an inner Galactic position to the current one, in agreement with the constrains in position, velocity and metallicity due to the present conditions of our star.
    [Show full text]
  • ANDREA KUNDER an Der Sternwarte 16 14482 Potsdam, Germany B: [email protected] Curriculum Vitae : +49-331-58395304 M
    Leibniz Institut für Astrophysik ANDREA KUNDER An der Sternwarte 16 14482 Potsdam, Germany B: [email protected] Curriculum Vitae : +49-331-58395304 m: www.aip.de/∼akunder EDUCATION June 2009 Dartmouth College; Hanover, NH PhD in Physics & Astronomy Advisor: Dr. Brian C. Chaboyer Thesis: RR Lyrae stars as tracers of stellar populations in the Galactic bulge and satellite galaxies May 2003 Willamette University; Salem, OR Bachlelors of Arts in Chemistry and German; GPA: 3.73/4.00 2000 - 2001 Ludwig-Maximillians Universität München; Munich, Germany Immersion program in language, culture, and history. 2002 Columbia University’s Biosphere 2; Oracle, AZ Universe Semester; Researched RR Lyrae stars with local telescopes. CURRENT EMPLOYMENT Independent Postdoctoral Fellow, Leibniz Institut für Astrophysik, Potsdam (AIP) PI of a Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) fully-funded grant to research the Galactic bulge RESEARCH INTERESTS The formation and evolution of Local Group galaxies and the Milky Way through detailed chemical and dynamical studies of individual stars; RR Lyrae stars and distance indicators; Globular clusters and resolved stellar populations. HONORS/AWARDS • 2016 “Eigene Stelle" Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Science Grant (269,650 Euros) • 2013 NOAO Science Excellence Award • 2013 NOAO DECam Installation, Commissioning and Scientific Verification Team Award • 2009 The Dartmouth College Arts and Sciences Graduate Student Research Presentation Award • 2007 Honorable Mention Chambliss Award (AAS) • Mary L. Collins Graduate Scholarship
    [Show full text]
  • Three Investigations of Low Mass Stars in the Milky Way Using New Technology Surveys
    c Copyright 2018 John C. Lurie Three Investigations of Low Mass Stars in the Milky Way Using New Technology Surveys John C. Lurie A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2018 Reading Committee: Mario Juri´c,Chair Kevin Covey Suzanne Hawley Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Astronomy University of Washington Abstract Three Investigations of Low Mass Stars in the Milky Way Using New Technology Surveys John C. Lurie Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Associate Professor Mario Juri´c Astronomy At least 80% of stars in the Milky Way have masses less than or equal to the Sun. These long lived stars are the most likely hosts of planets where complex life can develop. Although relatively stable on the timescale of billions of years, many low mass stars possess strong magnetic fields that are manifested in energetic surface activity, which may pose a hazard to both life and technology. Magnetic activity also influences the evolution of a low mass star through a feedback process that slows the rotation rate, which in turn tends to decrease the amount of activity. In this way, the rotation rate and activity level of a low mass star may provide an estimate of its age. Beyond their rotation-activity evolution as isolated objects, a small but important fraction of low mass stars have a close binary companion that influences the rotational and orbital properties of the system. Binary interaction can lead to phenomena such as supernovae, cataclysmic variables, and degenerate object mergers. From a larger perspective, low mass stars trace Galactic structure, and through their longevity serve as archives of the dynamical and chemical history of the Milky Way.
    [Show full text]