CAREER: The Ties that (Un)Bind: Understanding the Connection Between Galaxies, Stars, and Black Holes

星系是宇宙的基石，因此是宇宙起源和演化的重要追踪者。由于星系本身是由暗物质、气体、尘埃、恒星和黑洞组成的，它们也提供了这些基本量的独特探测器。计算机现在已经足够强大，可以通过模拟大爆炸的初始条件来模拟单个星系的形成，从而解析出单个星系的内部结构。这项事业奖将推动这些模拟在分辨率方面进入下一代，以及星际介质、恒星形成和超大质量黑洞的物理建模。这些模拟将使天文学家能够对主要新天文台测量的星系的性质做出一些首次直接的观测预测，例如阿塔卡马大毫米/亚毫米阵列(ALMA)。这项工作还将使PI和他的团队能够重温星系形成、恒星形成和黑洞增长的规则以及冷暗物质宇宙学中的经典问题。这项研究项目的具体目标是产生和分析一套宇宙模拟，首次明确地解决星际介质的多相(ISM)问题。来自恒星和超大质量黑洞的真实反馈、显著改进的数值算法和最先进的分辨率的独特组合，将使PI能够显著提高星系形成模型的预测能力。此外，该小组将公布和支持作为这项工作的一部分开发的新的数值方法，这将有助于解决许多数值问题和障碍，这些问题和障碍损害了前一代模拟的准确性和解释。这将允许社区以一种过去不可能的方式来评估数值和物理在星系形成中的相对重要性。PI计划通过与克利夫兰自然历史博物馆的沙夫兰天文馆和米勒天文台以及数据可视化专家合作，利用星系形成和演化模拟的视觉刺激。他们将共同建立和分发一个新的平台，允许科学家将他们的星系模拟整合到天文馆的天文学节目和电视节目中。这项工作预计将极大地提高进入公共领域的天文可视化的数量和质量，这将改善全国的天文教育工具。

Galaxies are the building blocks of the universe, and as such are important tracers of the origin and evolution of the cosmos. Since galaxies are themselves made of dark matter, gas, dust, stars, and black holes, they also provide a unique probe of these fundamental quantities. Computers are now sufficiently powerful to resolve the internal structure of individual galaxies in simulations that model their formation from the initial conditions of the Big Bang. This CAREER award will push forward those simulations into the next generation in terms of resolution, as well as the modeling of the interstellar medium, star formation, and the physics of supermassive black holes. The simulations will allow astronomers to make some of the first direct observational predictions for the properties of galaxies being measured by major new observatories, such as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The work will also enable the PI and his team to revisit classic questions in galaxy formation, the regulation of star formation and black hole growth, and cold dark matter cosmology.The specific goals of this research project are to produce and analyze a suite of cosmological simulations that explicitly resolve the multiphase interstellar medium (ISM) of for the first time. The unique combination of realistic feedback from stars and supermassive black holes, dramatically improved numerical algorithms, and state-of-the art resolution will enable the PI to dramatically improve the predictive power of galaxy formation models. In addition, the team will make public and support the new numerical methods developed as part of this work, which will help to resolve many numerical problems and barriers that have compromised the accuracy and interpretation of previous-generation simulations. This will allow the community to assess the relative importance of numerics and physics in galaxy formation in a way that has not been possible in the past.The PI plans to leverage the visual excitement of simulations of the formation and evolution of galaxies by partnering with the Shafran Planetarium and Mueller Observatory at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, as well as data visualization experts. Together they will build and distribute a new platform to allow scientists to integrate their galaxy simulations into planetarium astronomy shows and television programs. The work is expected to dramatically increase the number and quality of astronomy visualizations entering the public domain, which will improve astronomical education tools across the country.