Major: Physics
Project: A New Paradigm in the Classification of Gamma-Ray Bursts
Gamma-ray bursts can come from either a collapsing star or a colliding pair of neutron stars, but the standard method for telling them apart, based on how long the burst lasts, isn’t always reliable. Misclassifying one can mean missing a companion gravitational-wave signal. I created an algorithm that implements and validates the method described in Bhat (2013) for measuring a burst’s minimum variability timescale, a statistical fingerprint of the size of the object powering it, directly from raw Fermi telescope data. Tested against an independently published catalog across 100 real bursts, it produces a statistically significant match, establishing it as a validated tool for future work distinguishing these two types of events.
Faculty Mentor:
Rob Coyne, Assistant Professor of Physics
“This project taught me that validating a method is often harder, and more valuable, than implementing it. A closer look at my early program revealed a circular dependency that would have made the tool useless on any new burst, and finding it taught me to keep testing until I understood why something worked, not just that it did. I also gained real, hands-on experience with the full research process: implementing a published method, debugging it against real data, and defending my results with actual statistics. I plan to continue to work with Dr. Coyne this school year, extending the algorithm to work with a wider range of cases, and applying it directly to the collapsar/merger classification question as future observing runs begin. This experience confirmed my love for research. The frustration of debugging makes the moment it finally clicks feel genuinely exhilarating.” – Abbey Gervasini