This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant award, funded under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program, supports a research program at the University of Washington to expand the search for black holes and neutron stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The $526,252 award, effective September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2027, will leverage data from the NSF-supported Zwicky Transient Facility to develop and apply novel methods for identifying gravitational self-lensing, in which a compact object passes in front of a companion star, creating a periodic brightening. The research aims to improve understanding of the inventory, mass, orbital periods, and spatial distribution of these hard-to-detect compact objects. The project will also provide training opportunities for graduate students and engage citizen scientists in the research process.
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