A fresh look into the high-resolution Lyman-alpha forest: searching for deviations from the standard model for the intergalactic medium and measuring better its thermal history

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In order to develop a complete model of the evolution of the Universe, we need to understand how all the components have evolved. One component that is not well understood is the origin and evolution of the material between galaxies - the intergalactic medium (IGM). The goal of this research is to combine an analysis of very high quality quasar spectra with theoretical considerations to answer open questions about the evolution of the IGM. Broader impacts of the work include mentoring of underrepresented freshman undergraduates, training of a graduate student, and a series of public lectures in the Seattle area to astronomical societies and public schools.The work will address several important issues concerning studies of the Lyman-alpha forest, including a test of the standard picture of IGM evolution. By combining high-resolution quasar spectra with numerical simulations, the objective is to reconcile the existing observations with theoretical expectations for the Lyman-alpha forest.