CAREER: More Accurate Galaxy Merger Rates to Propel Studies of Gravitational Waves and Star Formation in Galaxy Mergers

合并是宇宙时间内星系演化的主要驱动力之一，因为它们从气体聚集体变成螺旋和椭圆结构。他们的地位的知识将提供最好的经验合并率作为恒星质量的函数，允许确定的机制的动力学演化的SMBH双星的引力波制度，和星系合并的作用，在驱动星星的形成。这些估计将用于回答两个基本的研究问题：SMBH二进制文件需要多长时间合并？星系合并和长期过程在推动星星形成中扮演什么角色？在PI的监督下，两名CU本科生将在落基山国家公园举办一个天文学公共教育项目，教育公众与研究项目有关的科学主题。 据估计，该计划将达到12,000至18,000游客到公园在五年内，这一赠款。 在学年期间，学生将把时间用于研究。 最大的星系积分场光谱调查，MaNGA，将使超过10，000个星系的合并分类，这将与最新的GADGET-3星系模拟和IllustrisTNG宇宙学模拟的合并时间尺度相结合，以最好的经验估计星系合并率作为恒星质量，质量比和红移的函数。 这些估计将解决星系合并率的作用的理解和过程引起SMBH以及他们的合并timescale.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Mergers are one of the main drivers in the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time as they morph from aggregates of gas into spiral and elliptical structures. Knowledge of their status will provide the best possible empirical merger rate as function of stellar mass, allowing the determination of the mechanisms for the dynamical evolution of SMBH binaries to the gravitational wave regime, and the role of galaxy mergers in driving star formation. These estimates will be used to answer two fundamental research questions: How long does it take for SMBH binaries to merge? What are the roles of galaxy mergers and secular processes in driving star formation? A public education program in astronomy will be given at Rocky Mountain National Park by two CU undergraduates under the supervision of the PI to educate the public on scientific topics related to the research program. It is estimated that this program will reach 12,000 to 18,000 visitors to the park over the five years of this grant. During the academic year the students will devote their time to research. The largest integral field spectrographic survey of galaxies, MaNGA, will enable merger classifications for over 10,000 galaxies, which will be combined with merger timescales from the latest GADGET-3 galaxy simulations and IllustrisTNG cosmological simulations to make the best possible empirical estimates of the galaxy merger rate as a function of stellar mass, mass ratio, and redshift. These estimates will address understanding of the role of galaxy merger rates and the processes giving rise to SMBHs as well as the timescale for their mergers.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.