CAREER: Mapping the Fuel for Star Formation Across Cosmic History

分子气体是星系中恒星形成的原料。要了解宇宙中恒星的总质量是如何形成的，我们必须了解恒星形成的燃料是如何在宇宙历史上被组装和消耗的。该项目将使用“强度测绘”技术，测量从100多亿年前开始的宇宙大部分历史时期的分子气体含量。强度图收集了来自无数无法探测到的星系的信号，通过宇宙的三维体积、天空和宇宙历史来捕捉分子气体的分布。为了实现这一目标，该团队将挖掘最大射电望远镜的档案，并使用先进的仪器进行新的实验。该项目包括一项重点工作，旨在通过无线电技术改善从非科学本科生到天文学研究生的重要科学主题的教学。这项工作的实施重点是为有可能离开大学的STEM专业学生提供有偿研究经验。这项拟议中的研究将测量过去100亿年宇宙历史中分子气体的增长和消耗。分子气体是为星系中恒星形成过程提供动力的原材料，它的历史图表可以对我们理解星系形成过程做出重大贡献。与恒星本身不同，形成恒星的冷气体非常微弱，很难在附近的宇宙之外观察到。计划中的项目将通过“强度映射”技术来克服这一挑战，在这种技术中，来自成千上万个星系的光被整合在一起，产生一个可探测的信号，尽管事实上很少有星系可以单独看到。该团队将使用各种数据源，包括射电望远镜阵列的档案数据和专门为这种测量设计的实验，来组装一幅分子燃料的综合图片。这项工作的高潮将是一个使用TIME多像素光谱仪进行强度测绘的大型项目，该项目将安装在亚利桑那州射电天文台的12米ALMA原型天线上。作为该计划的一部分，PI将使用无线电科学和数字信号处理硬件来加强从本科通识教育到高年级专业和研究生的各级关键科学主题的教学。这些活动将为来自该大学ASEMS项目的学生群体提供研究经验，这将增加STEM专业的持久性，特别是那些来自低收入家庭的第一家庭学生，社区大学转学学生和/或STEM中代表性不足的群体成员。

Molecular gas is the raw material for star formation in galaxies. To understand how the total stellar mass of the universe was formed, we must understand how the fuel for star formation has been assembled and consumed over cosmic history. This project will measure the molecular gas content of the universe over most of its history, beginning more than 10 billion years ago, using the "intensity mapping" technique. Intensity mapping aggregates the signal from numerous undetectable galaxies to capture the distribution of molecular gas through three-dimensional volumes of the universe, across the sky and back into cosmic history. To achieve this goal, the team will mine the archives of the largest radio telescopes and conduct new experiments using advanced instruments. This project includes a focused effort to improve the teaching of important science topics through radio technology, from non-science undergraduates through astronomy graduate students. The implementation of this work is centered on paid research experiences for cohorts of STEM majors who are at risk of leaving the university.The proposed research will measure the growth and consumption of molecular gas across the last 10 billion years of cosmic history. Molecular gas is the raw material that powers the process of star formation in galaxies, and a chart of its history can contribute significantly to our understanding of the process of galaxy formation. Unlike the stars themselves, the cold gas from which they form is very faint and hard to observe beyond the nearby universe. The proposed project will overcome this challenge through the technique of "intensity mapping," in which the light from tens of thousands of galaxies is integrated together to generate a detectable signal despite the fact that few of the galaxies can be seen individually. The team will use a variety of data sources to assemble a comprehensive picture of the molecular fuel, including archival data from radio telescope arrays and experiments designed specifically for this type of measurement. The work will culminate in a large program of intensity mapping with the TIME multi-pixel spectrometer, which will be installed on the 12m ALMA prototype antenna of the Arizona Radio Observatory. As part of this program, the PI will use radio science and digital signal processing hardware to enhance the teaching of critical science topics at all levels, from undergraduate general education to upper division majors and graduate students. These activities will provide research experience to cohorts of students from the university's ASEMS program, which increases the persistence of STEM majors, particularly those who are first-in-family students, from low-income households, community college transfers, and/or members of groups underrepresented in STEM.