CAREER: The Early Stages of Galaxy Evolution

事业：星系演化的早期阶段

• 批准号: 1255591
• 负责人: Dawn Erb
• 金额: $ 78万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2020-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1255591&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Early; Stages; Galaxy; Evolution

While our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution has increased enormously in recent years, some of the most important issues are still largely unknown. In particular, the characterization of low mass, young galaxies in the early universe remains one of the frontiers of astrophysics. Although we cannot analyze their spectra until the advent of future ground and space-based telescopes, we can learn a great deal about their physical conditions using plausible analogs the more nearby universe. The PI will therefore identify and study in detail the youngest and lowest mass galaxies at z~2, a redshift at which the universe was only 20% of its current age, but at which galaxies are still bright enough for detailed study. The PI will lead a comprehensive campaign to measure metallicities and ionization parameters in low-mass galaxies at z~2 from near-infrared spectra; determine the faint-end of the mass-metallicity relation at z~2; and study gravitationally lensed galaxies.The PI's work will be centered at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM), an institution with a large undergraduate population in an urban environment, and one with little previous presence in astronomy. The PI is one of the faculty advisors of the undergraduate astronomy club, which meets weekly and focuses on giving students the opportunity to participate in real astronomical research through radio searches for pulsars. She will also play a leading role in increasing the presence of astronomy at UWM through curriculum development, outreach, and mentoring of students from under-represented populations.

虽然近年来我们对星系形成和演化的了解有了很大的提高，但一些最重要的问题在很大程度上仍然是未知的。特别是，对早期宇宙中的低质量年轻星系的描述仍然是天体物理学的前沿之一。尽管在未来地面和太空望远镜出现之前，我们无法分析它们的光谱，但我们可以通过与更近的宇宙进行看似合理的类比来了解它们的物理条件。因此，PI将详细识别和研究Z~2的最年轻和最低质量的星系，在这个红移时，宇宙只有当前年龄的20%，但在这个时候，星系仍然足够明亮，可以进行详细的研究。PI将领导一项全面的活动，从近红外光谱测量z~2处的低质量星系的金属丰度和电离参数，确定z~2处质量-金属丰度关系的模糊端，并研究引力透镜星系。PI的工作将集中在威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校(UWM)，这是一所在城市环境中拥有大量本科生的机构，以前在天文学方面几乎没有出现过。PI是本科生天文学俱乐部的教师顾问之一，该俱乐部每周召开一次会议，重点是让学生有机会通过无线电搜索脉冲星参与真正的天文研究。她还将通过课程开发、推广和指导来自代表性不足人口的学生，在增加威斯康星大学天文学的存在方面发挥领导作用。