Research
Transiting Extrasolar Planets
I have previously studied parameter variations in transiting systems in order to probe for lower mass, possibly Earth-sized planets in those systems. I am currently working on disentangling the effects of limb darkening and atmospheric absorption versus wavelength in order to use ground-based transit data to probe the atmospheric properties of transiting extrasolar planets. I have been working with Dr. Thomas Harrison on a new high-speed photometer that will simultaneously gather observations at 6 different wavelengths, newley installed on the NMSU 1-meter telescope. This are will be the principal focus of my thesis.
Low-Mass Eclipsing Binaries
Observations by currently known low-mass eclipsing binaries (LMB's), of which less than 20 are known, indicate that low-mass stars have radii that are about 10% greater than predicted by current models. Theories for this discrepency include enhanced metallicity, age effects, and enhanced magnetic activity due to enhanced rotation rates, with the latter being the most likely scenario. To test these theories, I have worked on discovering new LMB's, obtaining light and radial-velocity curves, and modeling them to obtain accurate mass and radius measurements. I have obtained time on the recently launched Kepler spacecraft to stare at 1,200 K and M dwarf stars to search for and obtain precise light curves of long-period (P > 10 days) LMB's, where the orbital rate begins to match the natural rotation rates of these stars.
Multi-Wavelength Modeling of Binary Systems as Seen by the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM)
The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) is a proposed spacecraft that will be capable of obtaining postions of stars to a precision of 1 microarcsecond. The principal scientific mission is to search for Earth-like planets, however time will be set aside for additional scientific targets, namely observations of binary star systems. I am modeling how varying systems' reflex motions will vary versus wavelength as seen by the SIM spacecraft. With multi-wavelength SIM observations, I have determined it will be possible to obtain individual orbits of both stars in a given binary system, thus yielding absolute masses, inclinations, and luminosity ratios. Also, through SIM we will be able to probe starspot cycles on stars in single and binary systems, and even determine absolute inclinations for single stars.
Near Contact and W Uma Stars and Thier Formation
I have studied many near-contact and contact eclipsing binary systems, and am interested in thier evolutionary history and general theories of formation. It is now known that W Uma stars are old systems that have gone through a complicated cycle of mass-transfer and stellar evolution, but many of the details are missing. Although this was work I principally did while in undergrad and my first year in graduate school, it is a subject that I hope to return to one day.
