A Research and Training Center for Astronomical Spectroscopy

University Of Toledo, Toledo OH

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal: 0440784 Institution: University of Toledo Principal Investigator: Nancy Morrison Title: A Research and Training Center for Astronomical Spectroscopy ABSTRACT: The University of Toledo's Ritter Observatory is an urban, on-campus facility for research and education. Its 1.06-m reflecting telescope is instrumented with two fiber-fed spectrographs, one low-resolution (R = 6,000) and one high-resolution (R = 26,000), and is dedicated to long-term spectroscopic monitoring of variable objects, mainly stars. This type of research, being tolerant of partially cloudy weather and light pollution, is well suited to maximizing the scientific return from the site. In-house research concentrates on classical Be stars, Herbig Ae/Be stars, and hot supergiant stars. In addition, Ritter performs service observing for community astronomers and is active in academic instruction and community outreach. Ritter's community service and education functions will be expanded. These include hands-on training in observing techniques, telescope operation, spectroscopy, and data reduction for visiting undergraduate and graduate students; and a Web-based public archive of reduced spectra, including spectra of typical bright stars for comparison purposes. In addition, Ritter's service observing effort will become more vigorous and will benefit far more astronomers. These activities will be supported by improvements to the observatory's infrastructure. For example, enhancement of the telescope control system, which has already begun and will continue with support from this project, will increase its user friendliness, make it more similar to control systems at major observatories, provide for more effective training of students, and increase the efficiency of data collection. For this reason, the additional service observing will not have excessive impact on the in-house research programs. Another key improvement will be the acquisition of a large-format CCD camera. Not only will the limited spectral coverage of the present CCD be increased threefold, but also the scientific value of the data product will be enhanced disproportionately because it will be possible to observe a greater number of critical spectral lines, such as H-alpha and He I 6678, simultaneously. Intellectual merit: Ritter Observatory is positioned to become a robust service facility. It disposes of 70% of the time of a highly qualified technician, and it is operated by a team of energetic student and faculty observers, who obtain observations on virtually all of the roughly 110 usable nights per year. The constant availability of two spectrographs supports a wide range of projects on any type of star down to about tenth magnitude, depending on the required spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Being a flexible, accessible, dedicated facility, the observatory responds rapidly to targets of opportunity such as bright comets and novae. Thus, the result of this activity will be improved access to spectroscopic data, in the form of both snapshots and long-term monitoring, for the astronomical community. Broader impacts: By making spectroscopic data available to the community, the project will assist astronomers at institutions without their own observatories and will help fill the void left by closure of the smaller telescopes at the national facilities. Long-term spectroscopic monitoring capabilities are particularly important for stellar astronomy in view of the declining availability of small telescopes for this purpose. By training up to about three dozen visiting undergraduate and graduate students per year, as well as the department's own students, the activity will enlarge the national pool of students who have hands-on observing experience prior to their first run at a large facility. About five senior undergraduate University of Toledo students majoring in physics or engineering will participate in improving the telescope control system each year; they will be a small but significant addition to the pool of graduates with basic training in telescope control systems. Finally, by exposing high-school students to a research observatory and providing them with experience in astronomical spectroscopy, the program will enlarge the pool of students who may choose advanced study in astronomy or a related science. This award is being funded jointly by the Division of Astronomical Sciences and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities.