CAREER: Superwinds, Galactic Fountains, and Gaseous Halos in Disk Galaxies

AST98-74973Veilleux将要开展的研究是对附近盘星系外围的热电离介质的综合研究。对这种物质的物理状态、分布和速度结构的了解，对于理解活动星系和正常星系中的大尺度星系风(超风)和喷泉、类星体吸收线系统、宇宙的重子内容、星系的形成和演化，以及测量星系中暗物质的质量和分布都是相关的。使用最先进的光学法布里-珀罗涉仪，附近星系的完整样本将被映射到前所未有的通量水平。这些数据将为星系的气体截面提供新的定量约束。这些观测得到的电离气体的形态和运动学将有助于确定这种物质是中性氢气(HI)盘的延伸，来自星系形成的残留吸积气体，来自最近星系相互作用的潮汐碎片，还是与星系喷泉或超风有关的气体。星系自转曲线的数据将有助于更好地确定暗物质的分布。热气体发射线性质的数据将与盘状星际介质(ISM)的观测数据以及激波模型的预测结果进行比较。研究生和天文学专业的本科生将参与这项研究工作。该项目的教育部分包括开发创新的方法，将更多的观测经验引入非理科大学生的课程，并为当地学校的K-12学生提供现代地面天文学的一些趣味。天文活动吸引了各个年龄段的学生。将设计和开发马里兰大学校园天文台的活动。探究式学习是教育学生的一种手段。现有的本科非理科专业实验室天文学课程将进行改革，以利用校园天文台增加的多功能性。新的重点将放在让本科生直接参与课程材料和学习过程。望远镜和计算机将被用来为非理科专业的课程提供一些基础研究活动。这些实践活动将帮助学生建立一个理解科学方法的框架，这将促进他们一生的学习。

AbstractAST 98-74973Veilleux The research to be carried out is a comprehensive study of the warm ionized medium on the outskirts of nearby disk galaxies. The knowledge of the physical state, distribution, and velocity structure of this material is relevant for understanding large-scale galactic winds ("superwinds") and fountains in active and normal galaxies, quasar absorption-line systems, the baryonic content of the universe, the formation and evolution of galaxies, and measuring the mass and distribution of dark matter in galaxies. A complete sample of nearby galaxies will be mapped down to unprecedented flux levels using state-of-the-art optical Fabry-Perot interferometers. These data will provide new quantitative constraints on the gaseous cross-sections of galaxies. The morphology and kinematics of the ionized gas derived from these observations will help determine whether this material is an extension of the neutral Hydrogen gas (HI) disks, remnant-accreting gas from galaxy formation, tidal debris from recent galaxy interactions, or gas associated with galactic fountains or superwinds. Data on the rotation curves of galaxies will allow a better determination of the dark matter distribution. The results from the data on the emission-line properties of the warm gas will be compared with the observational data on the disk interstellar medium (ISM) and with predictions from shock models. Graduate students and undergraduate astronomy majors will be involved in this research effort. The educational component of the project involves developing innovative ways to introduce more observing experiences into the curriculum of non-science university students and to provide K-12 students from local schools with some flavor of what goes on in modern ground-based astronomy. Astronomy activities attract students of all ages. Activities for the University of Maryland campus observatory will be designed and developed. An inquiry based learning approach is to be used as a means of educating the students. The existing laboratory astronomy course for undergraduate non-science majors will be revamped to take advantage of the added versatility of the campus observatory. New emphasis will be put on having undergraduate students directly involved in the course material and the learning process. The telescopes and computers will be used to provide some basic research activities into the curriculum of non-science majors. These hands-on activities will help the students develop a framework for understanding the scientific method that will facilitate learning throughout their lives.