Lyman Limit Systems: Probing the Protogalactic/IGM Interface

该项目将创建一个均匀的、公开的阶阶光谱仪观测数据集，其中包括大约100个莱曼极限系统（LLS），这是类星体吸收线系统中最不为人所知的主要类别。这次对LLS的调查将利用凯克和拉斯坎帕纳斯天文台最新的仪器进步，并将提供关于原星系晕中的气体吸积、星系风、星系盘中的电离边缘、化学富集、原星系与星系间介质之间的界面、辐射转移、星系反馈以及早期宇宙中星系形成的各个方面的新见解。要观察的样本将从几个定义明确的类星体调查中提取，但需要新的高分辨率数据来确定LLS的准确特征。这个项目将综合观察者、实验学家和理论学家的才能，以达到对LLS非凡物理特性的理解，但对其他类星体吸收线系统、高红移气体和早期宇宙结构的研究将产生额外的重大科学影响。结果将以通常的方式传播到社区，但除此之外，一个专门的网站将提供高中教程和实验室作业，本科生介绍和研究生水平的LLS定量分析示例。

AST-0307408ProchaskaThis project will create a homogeneous, public data set of echelle spectrograph observations of about a hundred Lyman limit systems (LLS), which are the most poorly understood of the major classes of quasar absorption-line systems. This survey of LLS will take advantage of recent instrumentation advances at the Keck and Las Campanas Observatories, and will provide new insight into gas accretion in proto-galactic halos, galactic winds, ionization edges in galactic disks, chemical enrichment, the interface between proto-galaxies and the intergalactic medium, radiative transfer, galactic feedback, and all aspects of galaxy formation in the early Universe. The sample to be observed will be drawn from several well-defined quasar surveys, but new high-resolution data are needed to determine accurate characteristics of LLS. This program will synthesize the talents of observer, experimentalist, and theorist to reach an understanding of the remarkable physical properties of LLS, but there will be additional significant scientific impact on studies of other quasar absorption-line systems, of gas at high redshift, and of structures in the early Universe.The results will be spread to the community in the usual ways, but in addition, a dedicated Web site will reach beyond the astronomical population to provide high school tutorials and lab assignments, undergraduate introductions, and graduate level examples of the quantitative analysis of LLS.