Magnetic fields, outflows and feedback in spiral galaxies

螺旋星系中的磁场、流出和反馈

• 批准号: 184201-2011
• 负责人: Irwin, Judith
• 金额: $ 3.5万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=569704
• 关键词: Magnetic; fields; outflows; feedback; spiral

Spiral galaxies are surrounded by gaseous halos which show considerable structure and connect the interstellar medium (ISM, the gas between the stars) within the galaxy disk to the surrounding environment. The evidence is mounting that these halos are dynamic entities; that is, they manifest the expulsion of dust, gas (ionized, neutral and molecular), cosmic rays, and magnetic fields from galaxy disks. What is not yet clear is how many and what type of galaxy is more likely to display such halos, how much expelled material cycles back to the disk again, and how much material leaves the galaxy, enriching the intergalactic medium (IGM, the low density gas between galaxies). We know that such outflows (or `feedback') play a crucial role in the formation of galaxies, yet the nature and details of this activity are not well known. The evidence suggests that galaxy evolution (including that of our own Milky Way) is strongly influenced by such activity, yet we do not even know the main drivers of such activity. The goals of my proposal are to answer these questions. Moreover, for the first time, the 3-dimensional magnetic field structure in galaxy halos will be mapped, answering long-standing questions about how these fields are formed. To accomplish these goals, I will use the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) in New Mexico, a joint Canada-USA-Mexico radio telescope upgrade that results in an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over the previous instrument. The EVLA proposal, which I am leading, has been awarded an exceptional 405 hours of observing time to address the above goals. With an international team of collaborators, we will produce definitive answers to halo research questions and produce a data set of true legacy value for years to come. In the process, the opportunities for the training of highly qualified personnel are exceptional (10 for me alone), not only in the field of radio astronomy, but also in the spin-off proposals that have already been generated (e.g. the XMM-Newton and Herschel IR space-based telescopes).

螺旋星系被气体晕包围，这些气体晕显示出相当大的结构，并将星系盘内的星际介质（ISM，恒星之间的气体）与周围环境连接起来。 越来越多的证据表明，这些晕是动态的实体;也就是说，它们表明了尘埃、气体（电离、中性和分子）、宇宙射线和磁场从星系盘中的排出。 目前尚不清楚的是，有多少和什么类型的星系更有可能显示这样的晕，有多少被驱逐的物质再次循环回到磁盘，以及有多少物质离开星系，丰富星系际介质（IGM，星系之间的低密度气体）。 我们知道这种外流（或“反馈”）在星系的形成中起着至关重要的作用，但这种活动的性质和细节并不为人所知。 有证据表明，星系的演化（包括我们银河系的演化）受到这种活动的强烈影响，但我们甚至不知道这种活动的主要驱动力。 我的建议的目标就是回答这些问题。 此外，这将首次绘制星系晕中的三维磁场结构，回答长期存在的关于这些磁场如何形成的问题。为了实现这些目标，我将使用新墨西哥州的扩展甚大阵列（EVLA），这是加拿大-美国-墨西哥联合射电望远镜升级，其灵敏度比以前的仪器提高了一个数量级。 我领导的EVLA提案获得了特殊的405小时观察时间，以实现上述目标。 通过国际合作团队，我们将为光环研究问题提供明确的答案，并为未来几年提供真正具有遗产价值的数据集。 在这一过程中，不仅在射电天文学领域，而且在已经产生的附带项目（例如XMM-牛顿和赫歇尔红外天基望远镜）方面，都有机会培训高素质的人员（仅我一人就有10名）。