CAREER: Exploring the Evolution of Galaxies and Large Scale Structure at z>1

理查德·埃尔斯顿教授将执行一项为期五年的观测计划，研究星系的形成和宇宙中的大规模结构。该项目的核心是第一次系统地研究z = 1和2之间红移的星系团。通过在这个红移范围内观察宇宙中的星系，我们看到的是大约70 - 90亿年前的宇宙。在宇宙年轻时，对星系团数量和丰富程度的测量，为宇宙初始功率谱的振幅提供了直接约束，所有结构都是由宇宙初始功率谱形成的。此外，这个星团的数据将用于确定质量密度（Omega）和测试宇宙常数（Lambda）的存在。埃尔斯顿教授开发了一种技术，可以在近红外（IR）中搜索遥远的星系团。星系团中的星系往往是红色的，因此它们发出的大部分光都是近红外的。因此，这些星团往往在近红外波段比在光学波段更突出。研究表明，选择近红外波段J-K -1.8的星系可以进一步增强星系团的对比度。这使得只选择z1的星系成为可能。这项新技术最近通过观察z = 1.27的一个小星系团进行了测试，这个小星系团是在一个刚刚完成的小型近红外调查中观测到的。计划是在k20.5和j22.5范围内进行18平方度的大范围近红外调查。由于星系的极端光学模糊，并且由于1.3 z 2.3的星系在光学波长中缺乏强烈的光谱特征，因此将使用近红外多目标光谱仪进行星系红移观测。获得红外光谱中数千个可能的星团成员的光谱是任何现有的天文仪器都无法做到的。Elston教授正在建造并将于1999年秋季完工的新的FLAMINGOS红外波长仪器将用于这些观测。针对小学生的科学教育节目；天文学的本科生和研究生将被纳入这个观测研究项目。埃尔斯顿教授将组织一个小学项目，将教师和研究生带到佛罗里达州阿拉楚阿县的小学教室。在课堂上，将会有重点突出的天文学“实践”课程。这将为研究生提供教学经验。开设一门面向本科专业和副修专业的新型观察性实验课程。学生小组将组织、执行并报告一个使用带有CCD相机的遥控望远镜的观测项目。学生将被鼓励参与观测和仪器项目的各个方面。埃尔斯顿将参与领导佛罗里达大学研究生课程的重组工作。学生需要接受相当广泛的教育。将组织一门仪器仪表课程，由研究生组成的团队将制作一个CCD相机，与计算机连接，将其带到望远镜上并完成一个观测程序。该课程将教授“现实世界”中解决团队问题和管理的技能，同时让学生接触到仪器仪表和计算科学等应用研究领域。我们鼓励研究生将至少少量的仪器开发与他们的论文研究计划结合起来。将有来自行业和地区实验室的人员为学生讲述其他职业道路

Professor Richard Elston will carry out a five-year observational program to study the formation of galaxies and the large-scale structure in the Universe. The core of the program is the first systematic study of the clustering of galaxies at redshifts between z = 1 and 2. By observing the galaxies in the universe in this redshift range, we are seeing the Universe as it was about 7-9 billion years ago. The measurement of the number and richness of galaxy clusters when the universe was young provides a direct constraint on the amplitude of the initial power spectrum of the universe, from which all structures formed. Additionally, this cluster data will be used to determine the mass density (Omega) and test for the presence of the cosmological constant (Lambda). Prof. Elston has developed a technique to search for distant clusters of galaxies in the near-infrared (IR). The galaxies that populate the clusters tend to be red and therefore emit the bulk of their light in the near-IR. Thus, the clusters tend to stand out much more prominently in the near-IR than in the optical. It has been shown the contrast of the clusters can be further enhanced by selecting galaxies with near-IR wavelength bands J-K -1.8. This makes it possible to select only galaxies at z 1. This new technique was recently tested by observing a small galaxy cluster at z = 1.27 in a small near-IR survey that was just completed. The plan is to carry out a very wide field near-IR survey of 18 square degrees to K 20.5 and J 22.5. Due to the extreme optical faintness of the galaxies and since there is a lack of strong spectral features in the optical wavelengths for galaxies with 1.3 z 2.3, galaxy redshifts using a near-IR multi-object spectrometer will be used to observe the galaxies. The obtaining the spectra for thousands of possible cluster members in the IR was beyond the capability of any previously existing astronomical instrument. The new FLAMINGOS infrared wavelength instrument, which Prof. Elston is building and is to be completed in the fall of 1999, will be used for these observations.A scientific education program aimed at elementary school students; undergraduate university students and graduate students in astronomy will be integrated with this observational research program. Prof. Elston will organize an elementary school program that will bring both faculty and graduate students into elementary school classrooms throughout Alachua county Florida. Well focused "hands on" programs in astronomy will be presented in the classrooms. The will provide a teaching experience for graduate students.A new observational lab course for undergraduate majors and minors will be developed. Groups of students will organize, carry out, and report on an observational project using a remotely controlled telescope with a CCD camera. Students will be encouraged to participate in all aspects of the observational and instrumentation programs.Prof. Elston will be involved in heading an effort to restructure the graduate curriculum at the University of Florida. Students need to have a fairly broad education. An instrumentation course will be organized where a team of graduate students will build a CCD camera, interface it with a computer, take it to a telescope and complete an observational program. This program will teach the "real world" skills of team problem solving and management, while exposing the students to applied research areas such as instrumentation and computational science. Graduate students will be encouraged to integrate at least a small amount of instrument development with their thesis research program. There will be lectures by persons from industry and regional laboratories to speak to the students about alternative career paths.***