High Resolution Observational Studies of the Structure and Evolution of Galaxies

这项研究旨在确定星系中星际介质的各种成分的分布、运动和物理条件。其目的是研究这些成分之间的相互关系，与星系中的螺旋结构以及恒星形成过程的关系。虽然星际介质和星系中的恒星之间的一般演化周期已经被了解，但详细的潜在过程仍然没有被清楚地描绘出来。为了以足够的分辨率研究外部星系中的星际介质，首席研究人员将使用相对较新的Hat Creek毫米波望远镜来观测中性原子氢(HI)成分，并使用甚大阵列(VLA)射电望远镜来观测分子成分和相对论电子。光学成像法布里-珀罗光谱仪将用于探测电离气体。这种比较详细的分析将进一步加深对星系演化基本过程的理解。星系是如何随时间演化的，这关系到许多天文学的基本问题，如星系的形成、宇宙学、星系结构的起源及其形态类型。

The research is aimed at determining the distribution, motions and physical conditions of the various components of the interstellar medium in galaxies. The purpose is to study the relationship of these components to each other, to the spiral structure, and to the star formation processes in galaxies. While the general evolutionary cycle between the interstellar medium and the stars in galaxies is understood, the detailed underlying processes are still not clearly delineated. In order to study the interstellar medium in external galaxies with sufficient resolution, the Principal Investigators will use the relatively new Hat Creek millimeter-wavelength telescope to observe the neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) component and the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope to observe the molecular component and the relativistic electrons. An optical imaging Fabry-Perot spectrometer will be used to probe the ionized gas. Such comparative detailed analyses will further the understanding of the basic processes of galactic evolution. How galaxies evolve with time has relevance to many basic questions in astronomy such as galaxy formation, cosmology, and the origin of the structure of galaxies and of their morphological types.