Red Giants in Eclipsing Binaries as a Benchmark for Asteroseismology
My Ph.D. thesis explores how observations of eclipsing binaries containing a red giant star can be used as a benchmark for asteroseismic studies. I work with Kepler light curves, echelle spectra, and multiband photometry to create well-constrained photodynamical models and investigate why some of the red giants don't oscillate when we think they should.
Relevant publications:
- M. L. Rawls, P. Gaulme, J. McKeever, J. A. Orosz, D. W. Latham, & J. Jackiewicz. KIC 9246715: The Double Red Giant Eclipsing Binary With Odd Oscillations. 2016, ApJ, 818, 108
- P. Gaulme, J. McKeever, M. L. Rawls, J. Jackiewicz, B. Mosser, & J. A. Guzik. Red Giants in Eclipsing Binary and Multiple-star Systems: Modeling and Asteroseismic Analysis of 70 Candidates from Kepler Data. 2013, The Astrophysical Journal, 767, 82
- M. L. Rawls, J. A. Orosz, J. E. McClintock, M. A. P. Torres, C. D. Bailyn, & M. M. Buxton. Refined Neutron Star Mass Determinations for Six Eclipsing X-Ray Pulsar Binaries. 2011, The Astrophysical Journal, 730, 25
January 2012 AAS Meeting
Kavalur Observatory, India
Las Campanas Observatory, Chile