CAREER: Tracing the flow of gas from the cosmic web onto galaxies

职业：追踪气体从宇宙网到星系的流动

• 批准号: 1149491
• 负责人: Daniel Pisano
• 金额: $ 79.75万
• 依托单位: West Virginia University Research Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-06-15 至 2018-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1149491&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Tracing; flow; gas; cosmic

Current theories of galaxy formation predict that the gas supply of galaxies is continuously replenished by the accretion of gas from the intergalactic medium and the cosmic web. For low-mass galaxies in low-density environments, most of this gas remains cool as it falls along filaments onto the galaxy disks. Dr. Pisano will observe faint neutral hydrogen emission from these systems using single-dish radio telescopes and next-generation radio interferometers. To date, such observations have revealed gas clouds around many galaxies, but the inferred accretion rates are too low to sustain star formation. By mapping the diffuse gas around galaxies, this project will determine the gas accretion rate onto local galaxies and, using the demographics of gas around galaxies plus detailed observations of individual systems, will associated the hydrogen with either a tidal origin or cold accretion for the first time. To help address lagging student achievement in STEM subjects amongst middle school students, Dr. Pisano and collaborators will develop an open-ended, inquiry-based educational activity, "What are those THINGS?" This activity will engage West Virginia middle school students in real astronomical research using archival multi-wavelength data on the THINGS galaxy sample followed by the opportunity to use the Skynet remotely-operable telescopes to acquire their own original optical, infrared, and radio data for their adopted galaxy. Throughout this activity, trained undergraduate and graduate students will mentor the middle school students. As such, this activity will provide inspiration and training to students of all levels to become the next generation of astronomers and educators.

目前的星系形成理论预测，星系的气体供应不断得到星系间介质和宇宙网气体的吸积补充。对于低密度环境中的低质量星系，这些气体中的大部分在沿着细丝落到星系盘上时保持凉爽。皮萨诺博士将使用单碟式射电望远镜和下一代射电干涉仪观察这些系统发出的微弱中性氢。到目前为止，这样的观测揭示了许多星系周围的气体云，但推断的吸积率太低，不足以维持恒星的形成。通过绘制星系周围扩散的气体图，该项目将确定局部星系的气体吸积率，并利用星系周围气体的人口统计学数据和对单个系统的详细观察，首次将氢与潮汐起源或冷吸积联系起来。为了帮助解决中学生在STEM科目上成绩落后的问题，皮萨诺博士和合作者们将开发一项开放式的、基于探究的教育活动，名为“那些是什么？”这项活动将使西弗吉尼亚州的中学生利用关于Things星系样本的多波长档案数据进行真正的天文研究，然后有机会使用Skynet远程可操作望远镜为他们所采用的星系获取他们自己的原始光学、红外和无线电数据。在整个活动中，训练有素的本科生和研究生将指导中学生。因此，这项活动将为各级学生提供灵感和培训，使他们成为下一代天文学家和教育工作者。