Collaborative Research: LoVoCCS: The Local Volume Complete Cluster Survey

该项目的主要目标是利用Cerro Tololo美洲天文台暗能量相机的数据绘制附近星系团的大样本暗物质结构图。研究人员将研究暗物质如何在星系团中形成不同大小的结构。这些图像将为维拉·C·鲁宾天文台和南希·格蕾丝·罗曼太空望远镜观测到的更远的星系团提供附近的比较样本。该项目包括高中、本科生和研究生阶段的学生研究项目。外展计划将在普罗维登斯公立学校系统和东南部俄亥俄州阿巴拉契亚地区进行。星系团的完整样本中的质量分布将通过弱透镜来测量，即测量由于星系团中物质周围的时空弯曲而造成的背景星系观测形状的扭曲。这一质量分布将被绘制出来，并与星系团星系和X射线发射气体的分布进行比较。质量的二维图将以足够高的分辨率重建，以识别星系团内的单个浓度(“子结构”)。此外，还将测量这些子结构对星系团总质量估计的影响。这将决定即将到来的集群调查中的大量校准偏差。这些观测在深度上与维拉鲁宾天文台即将进行的观测相似，使得能够利用遗留空间和时间调查(LSST)第一年的数据在附近星系团内部和后面进行瞬时调查。该项目将每年公开发布暗物质的深度光学图像、目录和地图。这些版本旨在帮助其他研究人员熟悉未来LSST数据集的数据格式和质量。研究人员将使用经过验证的外展计划招募学生进入科学领域，同时与莱德天文台、布朗科学预备计划和普罗维登斯儿童博物馆的工作人员合作。通过这些项目，研究人员将向普罗维登斯公立学校系统中占很大比例的贫困和少数族裔学生介绍天文学的基本方面。类似的外展计划将在历史上服务不足和贫困的俄亥俄州阿巴拉契亚东南部地区实施。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。

The primary goal of this project is to map the dark matter structures in a large sample of nearby galaxy clusters using data from the Dark Energy Camera at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. The investigators will study how dark matter forms structures of various sizes in the clusters. The images will provide the nearby comparison sample to the more distant clusters that will be observed with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The project includes programs for student research at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. The outreach programs will take place in both the Providence Public School system and the south-east Ohio Appalachian region. The distribution of mass in a complete sample of clusters will be measured via weak lensing, measuring the distortion of the observed shape of background galaxies due to the curvature of space-time around the matter in the cluster. This distribution of mass will be mapped and compared to the distribution of cluster galaxies and X-ray emitting gas. Two-dimensional maps of the mass will be reconstructed with high enough resolution to identify individual concentrations within the cluster (“substructures”). In addition, the effect of these substructures on the estimates of the total mass of the clusters will be measured. This will determine the mass calibration biases in upcoming cluster surveys. These observations are similar in depth to the upcoming observations from the Vera Rubin Observatory, enabling a transient survey in and behind nearby clusters with the first-year of data from the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The project will make public releases of deep optical images, catalogs, and maps of the dark matter yearly. These releases are designed to help other researchers become familiar with the data format and quality of the future LSST datasets. The investigators will recruit students into science using proven outreach programs, while partnering with the staff at Ladd Observatory, the Brown Science Prep program, and the Providence Children’s Museum. Through these programs, the investigators will introduce fundamental aspects of astronomy to the large percentage of underprivileged and minority students in the Providence public school system. A similar outreach program will be implemented in the historically under-served and poverty-stricken south-east Ohio Appalachian region.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.