This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Dr. Sandquist and his team will undertake precision measurements of the masses and radii of stars in eclipsing binary systems in nearby star clusters. These measurements will allow precise ages to be determined with a minimum amount of theoretical interpretation. The investigators have previously identified a group of seven binary systems in three different star clusters that will enable them to measure ages with precisions of roughly 10%, a significant improvement over current methods. With improved photometry, also to be obtained under this award, it will be possible to test details of the physics governing the interiors of these stars to a degree not previously possible.
The results from this project will allow better ages to be determined for groups of stars in distant reaches of the Milky Way and in nearby galaxies. Research opportunities will be available for undergraduate students and Master's degree candidates at San Diego State University, the only campus of the California State University (CSU) system that offers Bachelor's degrees in astronomy. The CSU system serves more than 417,000 students, many of whom come from traditionally underrepresented groups.
