The future of massive variability searches

TL;DR

This paper reviews the potential scientific impacts of large-scale variability searches in astronomy, emphasizing their role in understanding stellar evolution, cosmology, dark matter, and exoplanets.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of how massive photometric and astrometric surveys can advance multiple fields in astronomy and cosmology.

Findings

Inventory of variable stars enhances stellar evolution models.

Eclipsing binary searches refine distance measurements and Hubble constant.

Supernova searches contribute to understanding cosmological parameters.

Abstract

This is a personal review of various issues related to massive photometric and astrometric searches. A complete inventory of variable stars down to almost any magnitude limit will improve our understanding of the stellar evolution and the galactic structure. A search for detached eclipsing binaries will improve the distance scale, the value of the Hubble constant, and the age of the oldest stars. A search for supernovae will help the determination of cosmological parameters Omega and Lambda. A search for microlensing events will provide insight into the stellar mass function, dark matter, and may lead to a discovery of earth-mass planets.