Tracing Evolution of Metals and Stars in Galaxies with Quasar Absorption Lines

用类星体吸收线追踪星系中金属和恒星的演化

• 批准号: 0607739
• 负责人: Varsha Kulkarni
• 金额: $ 25.28万
• 依托单位: University South Carolina Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-08-01 至 2011-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0607739&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Tracing; Evolution; Metals; Stars; Galaxies

AST-0607739KulkarniThe evolution of galaxies and the production of chemical elements in the Universe are fundamental issues in astrophysics and cosmology. A powerful tool for tracing the evolution of stars, gas, and metals in galaxies is provided by the spectral lines of damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) and sub-DLA absorbers that lie along the sightlines to quasars. Fundamental tests of galaxy evolution models come from constraining the cosmic density of metals and stars in galaxies. At present, DLA observations contradict the predictions of most cosmic chemical evolution models. However, the existing low-redshift samples are still relatively small, and include far too few sub-DLAs or dusty DLAs, and there have been very few high-resolution imaging studies of the absorbers. This project will investigate these issues by obtaining high-resolution spectroscopic and imaging observations for a large sample of low-redshift DLAs and sub-DLAs with known neutral hydrogen column densities. This will provide fundamental tests of galaxy evolution models by constraining the cosmic density of metals and stars in galaxies. This research will use publicly available archival data as well as new data to be obtained at state-of-the-art facilities.Educational benefits accrue from the research training of graduate and undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina, in a region with very few astronomers, and especially very few minority or women astronomers. Thus, the program provides unique career advancement, recruiting, and mentoring opportunities for under-represented groups. The Principal Investigator will also continue active development of new graduate and upper level undergraduate courses, and her extensive outreach activities through the USC Melton Observatory and the South Carolina State Museum.

AST-0607739 Kulkarni星系的演化和宇宙中化学元素的产生是天体物理学和宇宙学的基本问题。 位于类星体视线沿着的阻尼莱曼α（DLA）和亚DLA吸收体的谱线是追踪星系中恒星、气体和金属演化的有力工具。 对星系演化模型的基本检验来自于对星系中金属和恒星的宇宙密度的限制。 目前，DLA观测与大多数宇宙化学演化模型的预测相矛盾。 然而，现有的低红移样本仍然相对较小，包括太少的子DLAs或尘埃DLAs，并且很少有高分辨率的吸收体成像研究。 该项目将通过获得已知中性氢柱密度的大样本低红移DLAs和子DLAs的高分辨率光谱和成像观测来研究这些问题。 这将通过限制星系中金属和恒星的宇宙密度来提供星系演化模型的基本测试。 这项研究将使用公开的档案数据以及在最先进的设施中获得的新数据。教育效益来自南卡罗来纳州大学研究生和本科生的研究培训，该地区天文学家很少，特别是少数民族或女性天文学家。 因此，该计划为代表性不足的群体提供了独特的职业发展，招聘和指导机会。 首席研究员还将继续积极开发新的研究生和高级本科课程，并通过南加州大学梅尔顿天文台和南卡罗来纳州州立博物馆开展广泛的外联活动。