9943(  1) - 04/04/03 10:30  - [  1]

    PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS   ST ScI Use Only
                                                       ID:      9943
                                                       Version: 1
                                                       Check-in Date: 04-Apr-2003
                                                                      10:29:47

1.Proposal Title:
Searching for Very Low Mass Objects in M35 Using the HST/FGS Archive
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2. Proposal For  3. Cycle
AR               11
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4. Investigators
                                                                                     Contact?
    PI: Bernard McNamara                  New Mexico State University
   CoI: Dr. Thomas Harrison               New Mexico State University                   N
   CoI: Dr. George Benedict               University of Texas at Austin                 N
   CoI: Dr. Barbara McArthur              University of Texas at Austin                 N

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5. Abstract

We propose to use the extensive 124 orbit FGS archive to search for low mass
companions in M35 binaries. The goals of this project are 1) to determine the M35
binary frequency in a manner that is independent of the normal spectroscopic and
photometric methods used to establish these rates, 2) to determine whether the
formation of very low mass companions is a rare or frequent event in binary systems,
and 3) to obtain additional data about the distribution of masses and semi- major
axes in binary systems.The technique we will use relies on the detection of the
primary star's motion about the system's center of mass. We estimate that we will be
able to detect companions with masses as low as 0.030 solar masses, a region where
our knowledge about the properties of binaries is poor.
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                                                9943(  1) - 04/04/03 10:30  - [  2]

            Summary Form for Proposal  9943

  Item                         Used in this proposal
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  Proposal Category            AR
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