Collaborative Research: Tracing the Evolution of the Largest Cosmic Structures and their Galaxy Constituents in the Distant Universe

一些星系形成于被称为星系团的致密区域，另一些形成于被称为细丝的中等密度区域，其余的形成于密度较低的区域。这个项目研究星系的生长是如何受到星系周围环境的刺激和调节的。普渡大学（Purdue University）和罗格斯大学（Rutgers University）的科学家合作开展了一项名为ODIN的新研究，该研究利用4米布兰科望远镜进行了83个夜晚的观测。目标是观察迄今为止宇宙中最大的区域，重点是探测莱曼α光，这种光对宇宙中最丰富的元素氢很敏感。ODIN预计将发现超过10万个遥远的星系，比目前这类星系的样本大20倍。这些星系的现有质量、形成新恒星的速度以及它们与邻近星系聚集在一起的程度将揭示它们周围环境的影响。作为该项目的一部分，该团队将专注于为几名学生提供研究培训，并将通过旨在激励年轻一代欣赏科学的多种外展项目参与更广泛的社区。这个项目旨在了解环境在星系演化中的作用。ODIN调查的目的是使用Lyman alpha （Lya）作为星系和它们所嵌入的物质分布的大规模结构的独特示踪剂。ODIN将采用一种久经考验的技术，结合深窄带和宽带成像数据，在一个明确定义的宇宙体积中分离出发射lya的星系。ODIN的窄带滤光器在三个相隔甚远的宇宙时代（宇宙年龄分别为13亿年、20亿年和27亿年）对Lya的红移辐射进行了采样。利用这些星系，ODIN将识别各种密度环境，从原始星系团到细丝，从场到空洞。该计划将：(i)描述星系-暗物质从宇宙时间到当今宇宙的联系；（ii）确定环境对星系物理性质的影响；（三）通过直接比较观测结果和模拟结果，为最新的星系形成模型提供信息。窄带滤光片和巡天数据产品将提供给天文学界，使大范围的调查得以开展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Some galaxies form in dense regions called galaxy clusters, others in regions of moderate density called filaments, and the rest in regions of lower density. This project studies how galaxy growth is spurred and regulated by a galaxy’s surroundings. A collaboration between scientists at Purdue University and Rutgers University are carrying out ODIN: a new survey of galaxies with 83 nights of observations on the 4-meter Blanco telescope. The goal is to observe the biggest region of the universe to-date focusing on detecting Lyman-alpha light, which is sensitive to hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. ODIN is expected to discover over 100,000 distant galaxies, a factor of 20 larger than current samples of this type of galaxy. The galaxies’ existing mass, rate of forming new stars, and how much they clump together with neighboring galaxies will reveal influences of their surrounding environment. As part of this project, the team will focus on providing research training to several students, and will also engage the broader community through multiple outreach programs aimed at inspiring the younger generation to appreciate science. This program is aimed at understanding the role of environment in galaxy evolution. The ODIN survey is designed to use Lyman alpha (Lya) as a unique tracer of both galaxies and the large-scale structure of the matter distribution in which they are embedded. ODIN will employ a well-tested technique that combines deep narrow-band and broad-band imaging data to isolate Lya-emitting galaxies in a well-defined cosmic volume. ODIN’s narrow-band filters sample redshifted Lya emission at three widely separated cosmic epochs (cosmic ages of 1.3, 2.0, and 2.7 billion years). Using these galaxies, ODIN will identify a wide range of density environments from proto-clusters to filaments to the field to voids. The program will: (i) characterize the galaxy-dark matter connection through cosmic time to the present-day universe; (ii) determine the effect of environment on the physical properties of galaxies; and (iii) inform state-of-the-art models of galaxy formation through direct comparisons between observations and simulations. The narrow-band filters and survey data products will be made available to the astronomical community, enabling a wide range of investigations to follow.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.