Exploring the Star Formation History of the Universe Using ZEUS-2

使用 ZEUS-2 探索宇宙恒星形成历史

• 批准号: 1109476
• 负责人: Gordon Stacey
• 金额: $ 36.4万
• 依托单位: Cornell University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-08-15 至 2017-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1109476&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Exploring; Star; Formation; History; Universe

Star formation activity in the universe peaked 2 to 6 billion years after the Big Bang, corresponding to redshifts between 1 and 3. Most of the radiant energy from these stars was absorbed by dust in their nascent molecular clouds, re-radiated in the far infrared part of the spectrum, and can be observed today redshifted to the submillimeter. To measure the intrinsic luminosities and star formation rates of these galaxies, one must therefore observe in the submillimeter bands. Moreover, the star forming interstellar medium (ISM) is cooled by atomic spectral line radiation observable at these wavelengths; hence submillimeter spectroscopy is critical for understanding the star formation process. This project makes use of the scientific capabilities of the ZEUS and ZEUS-2 spectrographs, developed with prior funding from the Advanced Technologies & Instrumentation (ATI) and Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) programs, to observe specific atomic fine-structure lines of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in high-redshift galaxies. ZEUS-2 will be used on the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) and the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), together with other space- and ground-based follow-up observations in the millimeter, submillimeter, and far infrared in order to: (1) extend an ongoing survey of [CII] emission lines to deeper redshift and lower luminosity, tracing the change is star formation mode over time; (2) observe [OI] and [NII] lines in the same redshift range, to trace the changes in stellar populations; (3) observe gravitationally lensed galaxies comparable to the Milky Way in luminosity at redshifts around 2; and (4) study the connection between starbursts and active galactic nuclei. These observations will represent a key stepping stone linking discovery with the Herschel Space Telescope to future spatially resolved investigations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA). ZEUS-2 also lays the ground-work for instrument development and science opportunities that will be enabled by a future spectrometer on the proposed 25-meter Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT). The project will support the active involvement of multiple graduate and undergraduate students, many from under-represented groups, in instrument development and research.

宇宙中的恒星形成活动在大爆炸后的20到60亿年达到顶峰，对应于红移在1到3之间。这些恒星的大部分辐射能被新生分子云中的尘埃吸收，在光谱的远红外部分重新辐射，今天可以观察到红移到亚毫米波段。因此，为了测量这些星系的固有光度和恒星形成率，必须在亚毫米波段进行观测。此外，恒星形成的星际介质（ISM）被在这些波长可观测到的原子谱线辐射冷却；因此，亚毫米光谱学对于理解恒星形成过程至关重要。该项目利用先进技术与仪器（ATI）和主要研究仪器（MRI）项目预先资助的ZEUS和ZEUS-2光谱仪的科学能力，观察高红移星系中碳、氮和氧的特定原子精细结构线。ZEUS-2将用于加州理工学院亚毫米天文台（CSO）和阿塔卡马探路者实验（APEX），以及其他空间和地面的毫米、亚毫米和远红外后续观测，以便：(1)将正在进行的[CII]发射线调查扩展到更深的红移和更低的光度，追踪恒星形成模式随时间的变化；(2)观测同一红移范围内的[OI]和[NII]谱线，追踪恒星群的变化；(3)观测红移约2时光度与银河系相当的引力透镜星系；(4)研究星暴与活动星系核之间的联系。这些观测将成为连接赫歇尔太空望远镜发现和未来阿塔卡马大型毫米波/亚毫米波阵列（ALMA）空间分辨研究的关键垫脚石。ZEUS-2还为仪器开发和科学机会奠定了基础，这将由拟议的25米Cerro Chajnantor Atacama望远镜（CCAT）上的未来光谱仪实现。该项目将支持多名研究生和本科生（其中许多来自代表性不足的群体）积极参与仪器开发和研究。

项目成果

Detection of [O iii] at z ∼ 3: A Galaxy Above the Main Sequence, Rapidly Assembling Its Stellar Mass

• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/aab354
• 发表时间: 2018-03
• 期刊: The Astrophysical Journal
• 作者: A. Vishwas;C. Ferkinhoff;T. Nikola;S. Parshley;J. Schoenwald;G. Stacey;S. Higdon;J. Higdon;A. Weiss;R. Güsten;K. Menten