Simulating Galaxy Formation with Cosmic Dust

星系在宇宙年龄的增长是我们自己的星系和我们在宇宙中的地位的历史的重要组成部分。星系团在引力的作用下将气体聚集在一起，形成恒星。然后，恒星将气体和尘埃返回到星际和星系间空间。星光、气体和尘埃之间的相互作用可以改变气体聚集和形成恒星的速度，因此可以改变星系的生长。这个项目将研究尘埃对星系生长和星星形成速率的影响，并将一个新颖的尘埃演化方案应用于最先进的星系形成框架，以模拟星系在宇宙学时间内的生长。该项目将使用Illustris宇宙学模拟来提供孤立星系中星系演化的框架，宇宙学均匀体积模拟和银河系类星系的放大模拟。尘埃模拟将包括恒星演化中的尘埃产生模型，星际介质中通过吸积和凝结的尘埃颗粒生长，以及通过溅射，粉碎和超新星冲击的尘埃颗粒破坏。尘埃与星际气体和辐射的相互作用将通过尘埃-气体拖曳力来介导。该项目将制作星系尘埃质量含量模型和星系中预期的粒度分布模型。该模型将被用来提供数据的星系形成的观测测试使用阿尔马和JWST observations.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

The growth of galaxies over the age of the universe is an important part of the history of our own galaxy and our place in the universe. Galaxies assemble and grow by bringing gas together under the force of gravity to form stars. The stars then return gas and dust to the interstellar and intergalactic space. The interaction between starlight, gas, and dust can then change the rate at which gas assembles and forms stars, so it can alter the growth of the galaxy. This project will study the effect of dust on the growth of galaxies and the rate of star formation.This project will apply a novel dust evolution scheme to a state-of-the-art galaxy formation framework to simulate the growth of galaxies over cosmological time. The project will use the Illustris cosmological simulations to provide the framework for galaxy evolution in isolated galaxies, cosmological uniform volume simulations, and zoom-in simulations on Milky Way-like galaxies. The dust simulations will include models of dust production in stellar evolution, dust grain growth in the interstellar medium through accretion and coagulation, and dust grain destruction through sputtering, shattering, and supernova shocking. The interaction of the dust with interstellar gas and radiation will be mediated by a dust-gas drag force. The project will produce models of the dust mass content of galaxies and the expected grain size distribution in galaxies. The models will be used to provide data for observational tests of galaxy formation using ALMA and JWST observations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.