Collaborative Research: Charting the Supernova-Gas-Stars Connection via a Major New VLA Survey of the Local Group

恒星由星际气体形成。在今天的星系中，大多数星际气体是原子气体，称为HI气体。尽管经过了几十年的研究，但HI、超新星爆炸和大质量年轻恒星之间的相互作用仍然是一个重大谜团。调查人员正在使用美国国家科学基金会的超大型阵列(VLA)进行一项重大的新调查。他们正在使用VLA更好地测量HI的结构和来自附近星系的射电辐射。研究人员将回答有关星系恒星生命周期的一系列关键问题。研究人员研究了寒冷、不透明气体的“恒星托儿所”是如何形成的。在大质量恒星的短暂寿命结束时，超新星爆炸塑造了星系中的气体，研究人员将测量由此产生的星际湍流。这项研究计划将通过天文表演、公民科学项目和一套针对初中生、高中生和大学学生的实践教程来产生广泛的社会影响。这项建议将通过支持本星系群L调查(LGLBS)的观测、处理和科学分析来解决这些问题。LGLBS是卡尔·G·詹斯基(Karl G.Jansky)对本星系群进行的一项重要的新超大型阵列(VLA)调查。这项调查使用了1800小时的VLA时间，以前所未有的空间分辨率、光谱分辨率、带宽和灵敏度的组合，观测了包括仙女座星系在内的六个北方局部群恒星形成星系。LGLBS同时覆盖了追踪HI的21厘米线和追踪过去SN爆炸和大质量恒星周围温暖气体的1-2 GHz射电连续辐射。这些星系距离VLA足够近，可以解决星际介质(ISM)、恒星形成和恒星反馈之间的相互作用。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，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。

Stars form from interstellar gas. In present-day galaxies, most of that interstellar gas is atomic gas, called HI gas. Despite decades of study, major mysteries still surround the interaction of HI, supernova explosions, and massive young stars. The investigators are conducting a major new survey using the NSF's Very Large Array (VLA). They are using the VLA to better measure the structure of HI and radio emission from the nearby galaxies. The investigators will answer a series of key questions about galaxies’ stellar life cycles. The investigators study how ``stellar nurseries'' of cold, opaque gas form. At the end of the short lives of massive stars, supernova explosions shape the gas in galaxies, and the investigators will measure the resulting the interstellar turbulence seen in galaxies. The research program will have a broad societal impact through planetariums shows, a citizen science project, and a suite of hands-on tutorials aimed at students at the middle school, high school, and college levels.This proposal will address these questions by supporting the observation, processing, and scientific analysis of the Local Group L-Band Survey (LGLBS): a major new Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) survey of the Local Group of galaxies. This survey uses 1,800 hours of VLA time to observe the six northern Local Group star-forming galaxies, including Andromeda, with an unprecedented combination of spatial resolution, spectral resolution, bandwidth, and sensitivity. LGLBS simultaneously covers the 21-cm line, which traces HI, and the 1--2 GHz radio continuum emission, which traces past SN explosions and warm gas around massive stars. These are the only galaxies close enough that the VLA can resolve the interactions between the interstellar medium (ISM), star formation, and stellar feedback.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.