CAREER: Exploring the Invisible Universe With Milky Way Dwarfs and Streams

威尔曼博士将利用银河系恒星流和矮星系来研究银河系的暗物质亚晕和形成历史。她将实施一项光度学技术，以减轻斯隆数字天空勘测和暗能量勘测点源星表中未分解星系的污染。她将把新技术应用于光学(斯隆数字天空调查、暗能量调查)和红外(UKIDSS)数据集，以更高的保真度研究已知的恒星流，并揭示以前未绘制的银河系体积中以前未见过的流和矮星的存在。斯隆数字天空调查和UKIDSS都已经公开了这些数据。暗能量调查计划于2012年开始调查工作。威尔曼博士还将使用N体和N体SPH模拟来探索一种可能的新方法，以“看到”纯粹的暗亚晕。她将研究银河系矮小星系的合并历史及其可能的观测特征。这项工作提供了一种直接的方法，可以在尽可能小的亚星系尺度上天文测量暗物质的性质--这是观测宇宙学面临的一个主要问题。这也将使该领域为即将到来的广域光学和红外测量做好准备。一名博士后研究员和本科生将接受培训，因为他们参与了这项研究和相关的公共宣传。这位博士后研究员还将在哈弗福德学院从事密切指导的本科生教学经验。威尔曼博士将在一年级、三年级和五年级领导一个科学多样性的本科生研讨会。学生们和威尔曼博士将合作开发哈弗福德的学生运营的草桥天文台公共项目。许多本科生将有机会参加由学生主导的基于KPNO 0.9m望远镜观测的研究项目。威尔曼博士还将发布斯隆数字巡天和暗能量巡天的星表，这些星表由宽带测光技术提供信息。

Dr. Willman will use Milky Way stellar streams and dwarf galaxies to study the Galaxy's dark matter sub-halos and formation history. She will implement a photometric technique to mitigate contamination from unresolved galaxies in Sloan Digital Sky survey and Dark Energy Survey point source catalogs. She will apply new techniques to optical (Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Dark Energy Survey) and infrared (UKIDSS) datasets to study known stellar streams with higher fidelity and to reveal the presence of previously unseen streams and dwarfs in previously unmapped Milky Way volume. The data are already publicly available for both the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and UKIDSS. The Dark Energy Survey is scheduled to begin survey operations in 2012. Dr. Willman will also use N-body and N-body + SPH simulations to explore a possible new method to "see" purely dark sub-halos. She will investigate the merging histories of the Milky Way's dwarf galaxies and possible observational signatures thereof. This work provides a direct approach to astronomically measure the properties of dark matter on the smallest possible sub-galactic scales - a major problem facing observational cosmology. It will also leave the field well-poised for the upcoming wide-field optical and infrared surveys.A postdoctoral researcher and undergraduate students will be trained as they participate in this research and in related public outreach. The postdoctoral researcher will also engage in closely mentored undergraduate teaching experiences at Haverford College. Dr. Willman will lead an undergraduate seminar in science diversity in Years 1, 3, and 5. Students and Dr. Willman will collaborate on developing Haverford's student-run Strawbridge Observatory public program. Numerous undergraduates will have the opportunity to participate in a student-led research program based on KPNO 0.9m telescope observations. Dr. Willman will also release star catalogs for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Dark Energy Survey informed by broad-band photometry.