Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Search For Low-Amplitude Variability Among Population I Main Sequence Stars, Michael Benjamin Rose

Theses and Dissertations

The detection of variable stars in open clusters is an essential component of testing stellar structure and evolution theories. The ability to detect low-amplitude variability among cluster members is directly related to the quality of the photometric results. Point Spread Function (PSF) fitting is the best method available for measuring accurate magnitudes within crowded fields of stars, while high-precision differential photometry is the preferred technique for removing the effects of atmospheric extinction and variable seeing. In the search for new variable stars among hundreds or thousands of stars, the Robust Median Statistic (RoMS) is proven more effective for finding low-amplitude …