Multiphase Circumgalactic Gas Flow and the Growth of the Galactic Disk

斯蒂芬妮·何被授予NSF天文学和天体物理学奖学金，以在新墨西哥州立大学开展一项研究和教育计划。Ho将对附近星系的环星系介质(CGM)进行观测和模拟，以研究气体如何流入和流出星系。该项目的结果将阐明气体如何附着到星系中，为恒星的形成提供燃料，并形成星系盘。何志平还将开展外展活动，提高未被充分代表的年轻人对天文学作为一条可能的职业道路的认识。这项研究项目将考察冷的CGM、暖热的CGM和银盘之间的相互作用。HO将把星系盘取向纳入环星系气体流动的物理模型中，以解释冷热CGM的起源。HO还将分析利用宇宙学模拟产生的模拟吸收光谱，以了解观测到的CGM冷相和温热相之间的运动失调。最后，她将结合对邻近星系的发射线和银河系周围吸收线的光谱观测来分析气体流动，并了解吸积在盘增长中的作用。这一奖项反映了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。

Stephanie Ho is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at New Mexico State University. Ho will conduct observations and simulations of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of nearby galaxies to study how gas flows in and out of galaxies. Results from this project will elucidate how gas accretes onto galaxies, fuels star formation, and grows galactic disks. Ho will also conduct outreach activities to increase awareness among underrepresented youth about astronomy as a possible career path. This research project will examine the interplay between the cool CGM, the warm-hot CGM, and the galactic disk. Ho will incorporate galaxy disk orientation into physical models of circumgalatic gas flow to explain the origin of the cool and warm-hot CGM. Ho will also analyze mock absorption spectra generated using cosmological simulations to understand the observed kinematic misalignment between the cool and warm-hot phases of the CGM. Finally, she will combine spectroscopic observations of emission lines and circumgalactic absorption lines toward nearby galaxies to analyze gas flow and understand the role of accretion in disk growth.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.