Spinning Red Clocks in Crowded Fields

dc.contributor.advisorChun, Mark
dc.contributor.advisorvan Saders, Jennifer
dc.contributor.authorDungee, Ryan
dc.contributor.departmentAstronomy
dc.date.accessioned2023-02-23T23:56:47Z
dc.date.available2023-02-23T23:56:47Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.degreePh.D.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/104611
dc.subjectAstronomy
dc.subjectAdaptive Optics
dc.subjectGround Layer Adaptive Optics
dc.subjectGyrochronology
dc.subjectOpen Clusters
dc.subjectStellar Astrophysics
dc.titleSpinning Red Clocks in Crowded Fields
dc.typeThesis
dcterms.abstractTo build a clear picture of the history of our Milky Way galaxy we need to be able to reliably measure the ages of the stars within it. Unfortunately the most common stars, M dwarfs, are resistant to most of our current age measuring techniques.This leaves gyrochronology, the use of an empirical relation between rotation and age, as our method for measuring M dwarf ages. Successful gyrochronology requires the study of open clusters spanning as wide a range of ages and metallicities as possible. In this dissertation I present the work I have done on advancing our understanding of spin-down in late K and early M dwarfs through observations of the 4 Gyr old open cluster M67. Future studies that include a wider sample of open clusters, and that push the observations to lower mass stars, will require high spatial resolution wide-field imaging to remain feasible. To this end, this dissertation also presents the work I have done in developing an advanced technique for the control systems of ground layer adaptive optics. This technique, which we have dubbed “temporal tomography” is expected to facilitate the widespread adoption of ground layer adaptive optics by reducing the number of guide stars needed to obtain accurate estimates of the ground layer turbulence. These systems will be capable of imaging crowded fields, such as the open clusters needed for calibrating gyrochronology.
dcterms.extent111 pages
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.publisherUniversity of Hawai'i at Manoa
dcterms.rightsAll UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner.
dcterms.typeText
local.identifier.alturihttp://dissertations.umi.com/hawii:11545

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