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High-Speed Optical Spectroscopy

  • Chapter
High Time Resolution Astrophysics

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 351))

Abstract

The large surveys and sensitive instruments of modern astronomy are turning ever more examples of variable objects, many of which are extending the parameter space to testing theories of stellar evolution and accretion. Future projects such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will only add more challenging candidates to this list. Understanding such objects often requires fast spectroscopy, but the trend for ever larger detectors makes this difficult. In this contribution I outline the science made possible by high-speed spectroscopy, and consider how a combination of the well-known progress in computer technology combined with recent advances in CCD detectors may finally enable it to become a standard tool of astrophysics.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK

    T. R. Marsh

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  1. T. R. Marsh
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NUI, Galway, Ireland

    Don Phelan

  2. NUI, Galway, Ireland

    Oliver Ryan

  3. NUI, Galway, Ireland

    Andrew Shearer

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Marsh, T.R. (2008). High-Speed Optical Spectroscopy. In: Phelan, D., Ryan, O., Shearer, A. (eds) High Time Resolution Astrophysics. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 351. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6518-7_5

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