Dr. Horace Smith, at Michigan State University, will identify RR Lyrae stars within the 300 square degree strip of sky that is being repeatedly covered during the Sloan Digital Sky Survey II supernova survey. Light curves, metallicities, and, in some cases, radial velocities will be determined for these RR Lyrae stars. This survey will not only reveal the overall space distribution of RR Lyrae stars in a hitherto very incompletely studied region of the sky, but it is also likely to identify subsets of RR Lyrae stars associated with distinct merger events. RR Lyrae stars, pulsating stars whose evolutionary progenitors were eyewitnesses to the formation of the halo and which are excellent standard candles, can provide particular insight into the building of the Milky Way.
The proposed research will form an important part of the training of both graduate and undergraduate astrophysics students at Michigan State University. This research, together with other variable star studies being carried out at MSU, will also provide a focus for drawing astronomers in the Michigan area to local meetings on variable stars. A wider impact will be achieved through a web page describing the research and also through presentations to the public during open house nights at the campus observatory. Secondary school teachers will be introduced to observing and to this research at sessions held at the campus observatory, where the teachers will be able to obtain observations of their own
