Collaborative Research: Testing the Lambda Cold Dark Matter Paradigm with Dwarf Satellites of Low-mass Galaxies

所有大型星系，比如我们的银河系，都被许多较小的“卫星”伴星系环绕着。科学家们最近发现了围绕大麦哲伦星云的微型卫星星系，大麦哲伦星云是一个小的银河系伴星系。目前的预测无法再现这些卫星星系的数量和性质。因此，小的“矮小”星系挑战了我们对形成星系的物理过程的理解。为了解决这个难题，该项目探索了银河系以外的星系及其本星系群。研究人员将通过搜索超出我们本地星系群的小星系周围最小的卫星来测试预测。据预测，这些卫星很微弱，只能用地球上最先进的望远镜才能发现。新天体的特性将与我们本地组的卫星进行比较，并在理论模型的背景下进行解释。这三名研究人员将与一名博士后研究人员和学生一起，使用大型光学望远镜上最先进的仪器，对11个亚银河系质量目标星系进行系统的全景成像调查。研究小组将借助专门的分析模型来解释这次微弱卫星的普查。最终的目标是让我们了解最小质量尺度下的星系形成物理。这些观测可以揭示矮星系的恒星含量与它们的暗物质晕之间的关系。研究结果将被解释为星系环境、晕质量和形态的函数，从而在星系形成模型的框架内为恒星形成、反馈和再电离处方提供定量约束。研究人员将利用这项研究，通过在坦帕大学建立女性科学支持网络，增加未被充分代表的少数族裔对天文学的参与。这将为他们未来的职业生涯提供宝贵的指导，并就性别平衡问题向他们提供建议。俄亥俄州立大学(OSU)将为高中生制作以天文学为主题的YouTube编码视频。此外，由俄亥俄州立大学学生领导的同行指导计划将通过参加专门的领导力退修会得到该计划的支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

All large galaxies, like our own Milky Way, are surrounded by many smaller "satellite" companion galaxies. Scientists have recently discovered tiny satellite galaxies around the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small Milky Way companion galaxy. Current predictions are not able to reproduce the numbers and properties of these satellite galaxies. Small "dwarf" galaxies thus challenge our understanding of the physical processes that shape galaxies. To solve the puzzle, this project explores galaxies beyond the Milky Way and its Local Group of galaxies. The investigators will test predictions by searching for the tiniest satellites around small galaxies beyond our Local Group. These satellites are predicted to be faint and can only be found using the most advanced telescopes on Earth. The properties of the new objects will be compared to satellites in our Local Group and interpreted in the context of theoretical models. The three investigators, together with a postdoctoral researcher and students, will use state-of-the-art instrumentation on large optical telescopes to perform systematic, panoramic imaging surveys of 11 sub-Milky Way-mass target galaxies. The research team will interpret this census of faint satellites with the aid of dedicated analytical models. The final goal is to inform our understanding of the galaxy formation physics at the lowest mass scales. These observations can reveal how the stellar content of dwarf galaxies relates to their dark matter halos. The results will be interpreted as a function of galaxy environment, halo mass and morphology, thus providing quantitative constraints for star formation, feedback and re-ionization prescriptions in the framework of galaxy formation models.The Investigators will use this research to increase the involvement of underrepresented minorities in astronomy by developing a support network for women in science at the University of Tampa. This will provide valuable guidance for their future careers and advise them on gender balance issues. At Ohio State University (OSU), astronomy-themed YouTube coding videos will be developed for high school students. Additionally, a peer-mentoring program led by OSU students will be supported by this program through participation in a dedicated Leadership Retreat.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.