The Formation and Evolution of Binary Stars

I will present four mini-lectures. (1) Eclipsing binaries (EBs) have historically been utilized to measure the fundamental stellar relations and distances to nearby galaxies. In the current era of time-domain astronomy, I will demonstrate how increasingly larger samples of EBs provide invaluable insight into the formation, environments, and evolution of binary stars. (2) Binaries identified via eclipses, spectroscopy, interferometry, and adaptive optics each give a unique perspective of companion star properties. By combining the various surveys, a complete but complex picture of the binary star formation process begins to emerge. (3) The statistical distributions of binary stars serve as initial conditions in population synthesis studies. I will highlight the implications for the predicted rates and properties of Type Ia supernovae, compact object mergers, and sources of gravitational waves. (4) Finally, I will discuss a recently approved multi-band photometric monitoring survey of the Triangulum Galaxy M33, which, over its one square degree coverage, will rival the sensitivity and cadence of LSST. The M33 survey is designed to discover exotic types of EBs, variables, and transients pertinent to our understanding of star / planet formation, Type Ib/c supernovae, reionization, and the cosmological distance scale.

Speaker: Maxwell Moe, Univ. of Arizona