Western Kentucky University, Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green, KY 42101
For the past 8 years Western Kentucky University has conducted research on the variability of approximately 50 members of a class of astronomical objects called Blazars, a subset of which are bright at Gamma Ray energies. These objects are host to a range of interesting phenomena that have proven difficult to explain. The formation of a large database, like that being assembled at WKU, will be an essential tool in developing a complete understanding of these objects. The collected data are also combined with that of an international team of corroborating partners working at other wavelengths to form an understanding of the variability of Blazars across the electromagnetic spectrum. My role in this research has been the collection of optical data regarding the long term (days to years) variability using a network of telescopes positioned at different locations on the globe. The collected data is then included in the main database for use by WKU and its partners in answering crucial questions, including the relationships between the variability in different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. As the GLAST Mission comes online, we will be in a position to provide optical data with time resolutions approaching that attainable by GLAST, providing us with data sets that can be properly cross correlated to look for relationships between the optical and Gamma Ray flux variations.
[Abstract (DOC)]