The Rise and Fall of Star Formation in Galaxies

星系中恒星形成的兴衰

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-03046
• 负责人: Man, Allison
• 金额: $ 2.84万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=742347
• 关键词: Rise; Fall; Star; Formation; Galaxies

Galaxies are complex celestial objects that require knowledge of physics from quantum to cosmological scale to understand. Nearly a century after the first distance measurement to external galaxies, astronomers now routinely survey the stellar and gaseous content of galaxies from the first billion years after the Big Bang until the present day. Despite the wealth of observations of distant galaxies, fundamental questions remain. What are the key processes regulating star formation in galaxies? How and when did galaxies reionize the Universe? Answering these questions is the long-term objective of my research program. The study of distant galaxies is about to enter a transformative era with the imminent launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the long-anticipated successor of the Hubble Space Telescope. Moreover, a Canadian consortium is constructing the Gemini Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph, a powerful instrument with new capabilities for surveying distant galaxies. Astronomers will probe distant galaxies at unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. To fully capitalize on these opportunities, I will train a new generation of astronomers in skills to tackle pressing questions on galaxy evolution. My short-term objectives are to obtain deep and resolved views of distant galaxies using state-of-the-art techniques and instruments across the electromagnetic spectrum. Building on my experience, we will leverage gravitational lensing to obtain the deepest views of distant galaxies. By measuring their dense molecular gas fraction and ionized gas outflows, my program will unravel how star formation is regulated in distant galaxies. Furthermore, we will obtain the most resolved view of distant galaxies with adaptive optics and interferometry --- both techniques provide superior spatial resolution that enabled the discovery of a supermassive black hole in the Galactic Center (Nobel Prize in Physics 2020). We will scrutinize how active supermassive black holes heat and expel gas from their host galaxies and measure rotation curves for primeval galaxies that probe their dark matter content and turbulence. Altogether, my program will bring about profound and novel insights into distant galaxies, informing future surveys and instrument designs. My emphasis on international collaborations will provide invaluable training opportunities for students and lay the foundation for Canada to play a leading role in constructing and using next-generation facilities. The HQP training will emphasize professional development, so that trainees will be equipped with analytic, computing and leadership skills that are sought after within and beyond academia. I am committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment. As such, the HQP training plan is designed based on EDI principles and builds on my experience in mentoring trainees with diverse backgrounds.

星系是复杂的天体，需要从量子到宇宙尺度的物理知识来理解。在第一次对外部星系进行距离测量近世纪后，天文学家现在定期调查从大爆炸后的第一个十亿年到今天的星系的恒星和气体含量。尽管对遥远星系进行了大量的观测，但基本问题仍然存在。在星系中控制星星形成的关键过程是什么？星系是如何以及何时重新形成宇宙的？解决这些问题是我研究计划的长期目标。随着詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜的即将发射，对遥远星系的研究即将进入一个变革时代，这是人们期待已久的哈勃太空望远镜的继任者。此外，一个加拿大财团正在建造双子红外多目标摄谱仪，这是一种具有测量遥远星系新能力的强大仪器。天文学家将以前所未有的灵敏度和分辨率探测遥远的星系。为了充分利用这些机会，我将培训新一代天文学家解决星系演化中紧迫问题的技能。我的短期目标是使用最先进的技术和仪器在整个电磁频谱中获得遥远星系的深层和分辨率视图。根据我的经验，我们将利用引力透镜来获得遥远星系的最深处。通过测量它们的致密分子气体部分和电离气体流出，我的程序将揭示星星的形成是如何在遥远的星系调节。此外，我们将利用自适应光学和干涉测量技术获得遥远星系的最高分辨率视图-这两种技术都提供了上级空间分辨率，从而能够在银河系中心发现超大质量黑洞（2020年诺贝尔物理学奖）。我们将仔细研究活动的超大质量黑洞如何加热并从其宿主星系中排出气体，并测量原始星系的旋转曲线，以探测其暗物质含量和湍流。总而言之，我的计划将为遥远的星系带来深刻而新颖的见解，为未来的调查和仪器设计提供信息。我对国际合作的重视将为学生提供宝贵的培训机会，并为加拿大在建设和使用下一代设施方面发挥主导作用奠定基础。 HQP培训将强调专业发展，使学员具备学术界内外所追求的分析，计算和领导技能。我致力于营造一个热情和包容的工作环境。因此，HQP培训计划是根据EDI原则设计的，并建立在我指导不同背景学员的经验之上。