CHAOS AMONG THE STARS?

New Approaches to Variable Stars from Nonlinear Dynamics

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    Kepler spacecraft, real and simulated variable star attractor, fractal Norwegian coast

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    Participants at the East-West Center Japanese garden

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University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
2015 August 16-19 Sunday-Wednesday
(Just after the IAU General Assembly)



Dramatically improved data from observatories like the Kepler spacecraft have recently enabled nonlinear time series analysis and phenomenological modeling of variable stars, including the search for strange (aka fractal) or chaotic dynamics.

Kepler data includes “golden stars” whose luminosities vary quasiperiodically with two frequencies nearly in the golden ratio. Their secondary-frequency scaling resembles the spatial scaling of the rugged Norwegian coast, a signature of strange nonchaotic dynamics. Do all golden stars exhibit Norwegian scaling? More generally, does variable star dynamics exhibit universal or peculiar features?

The CATS conference will forge a synergy between variable star astronomers and nonlinear dynamicists to advance our understanding of variable star dynamics.

Subtopics

Nonlinear dynamics
Time series analysis
Modeling variable stars (ab initio and phenomenological)
Variable star observatories (including Kepler & Pan-Starrs)
Asteroseismology

Invitations

Email CATS2015@hawaii.edu for an invitation. To provide lively interaction, the CATS conference is limited to 42 participants. The conference fee is 150 USD.

Location

Asia Room, East-West Center, Jefferson Hall second floor, about 100 m from the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.