Dartmouth Events

Abstract: Low mass stars account for approximately 70 percent of the stellar populations; yet, due to their small sizes and cool temperatures they account for only a small fraction of the galaxy's luminosity function. Moreover, due to the lack of laboratory conditions available to astronomy and astrophysics, low mass stars can provide a rare, controlled environment for calibrations of numerical models. Unfortunately, due to their comparatively low luminosities, low mass stars are often the most challenging spectral classes of stars to observe. Consequently, across multiple domains there has been both a dearth of interest and observations of these key astronomical objects. In this thesis I present four projects which have further revealed properties of low mass stars and pushed the extended where these low mass stars may be used as laboratories. This thesis defense will summarize my results in topics as diverse as globular cluster chemical abundance patterns to the nuclear reaction rates of stars around 0.4 solar masses.

Graduate Advisor: Professor Brian Chaboyer