Infrared Diagnostics of Galaxy Formation and Evolution

由于宇宙中星系的绝对多样性及其演化的宇宙时间尺度，星系形成和演化的本质仍然具有挑战性。虽然已经发现了广泛的趋势，但需要对大样本星系进行详细研究，才能对形成历史和演化过程做出强有力的推断。最近，通过对数千个星系进行大规模光学成像光谱调查，在附近的宇宙中取得了重大进展。我们开始获得足够的统计数据来量化大范围星系参数的聚合属性。尽管取得了这一进展，但我们对遥远宇宙中的星系的看法仍然有限，这对完成进化图景至关重要。我提出了一个高度耦合的红外(IR)仪器和科学计划，它利用诸如自适应光学(AO)、积分场光谱和天体光子学等尖端技术来解决星系形成和演化领域中长期存在的问题：1)恒星形成的初始条件是什么？2)环境起什么作用？3)内部反馈过程影响星系的生长？通过使用强大的新仪器，如广域红外积分场光谱仪(WIFIS)和即将推出的双子星红外多目标光谱仪(GIRMOS)，我们将对近星系和远星系进行详细调查，直接解决这些问题，并为国际社会提供遗产价值。WIFIS提供了研究静止框架红外光谱和约束恒星初始质量函数的机会。此外，通过对银河系凸起中最古老的贫金属星的调查，我们将探索早期宇宙中恒星形成的本质。这项工作将检验长期以来关于恒星形成和恒星演化的假设，这些假设是理解星系的基础。GIRMOS将为遥远的宇宙打开一个互补的窗口，使我们能够进行与当地正在进行的类似规模的星系调查。这将导致我们对宇宙的理解的突破，特别是星系是如何形成的，以及我们的银河系在其一生中是如何发展的。我的建议还包括一个在声光和光子学领域内的仪器开发的研究计划。这项研究有可能在未来为大型和超大型望远镜仪器和商业/国防应用带来巨大回报。HQP将在所有拟议项目中发挥领导作用。该计划将培训约40名HQP。拟议的活动将提供一套多样化的技能，这要归功于所有HQP都将参与的科学和仪器研究的结合。对于想要在学术界出类拔萃或加入高技能工业劳动力的HQP来说，这是一个成功的组合。

The nature of galaxy formation and evolution remains challenging to unravel due to the sheer diversity of galaxies in the Universe and the cosmic timescales over which they evolve. While broad trends have been discovered, detailed studies of large samples of galaxies are required to make strong inferences about formation histories and evolutionary processes. In recent times, significant progress has been made in the nearby universe through massive optical imaging spectroscopic surveys of thousands of galaxies. We are beginning to obtain sufficient statistics to quantify the aggregate properties for broad ranges of galaxy parameters. Despite this progress, our view of galaxies in the distant universe continues to be limited, which is essential to complete the evolutionary picture. I propose a highly coupled infrared (IR) instrumentation and scientific program that takes advantage of cutting-edge technologies such as adaptive optics (AO), integral field spectroscopy, and astrophotonics to tackle long standing questions in the field of galaxy formation and evolution: 1) What are the initial conditions from which stars form? 2) What role does environment play? 3) What internal feedback processes impact the growth of galaxies? Through the use of powerful new instruments such as the wide-field IR integral field spectrograph (WIFIS), and the upcoming Gemini IR multi-object spectrograph (GIRMOS), we will carry out detailed surveys of both nearby and distant galaxies that directly address these questions and provide legacy value to the international community. WIFIS offers the opportunity to study the rest-frame IR spectrum and constrain stellar initial mass function. Additionally, through a survey for the most ancient metal-poor stars in our Milky Way bulge, enabled by our AO developments, we will probe the nature of star formation during the early universe. This work will test long held assumptions about star formation and stellar evolution that are the foundational for understanding galaxies. GIRMOS will open a complementary window to the distant universe, allowing us to do galaxy surveys in a similar scale as what is being done locally. This will lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of the Universe, particularly how galaxies form and how our Milky Way developed over its lifetime. My proposal also includes a research program in instrumentation development within the domains of AO and photonics. This research has the potential for significant payoffs in the future for large and extremely large telescope instrumentation and commercial/defense applications. HQP will play leadership roles in all of the proposed projects. The program will train ~40 HQP. The proposed activities will provide a diverse set of skills thanks to the combination of scientific and instrumentation research that all HQP will participate in. This is a winning combination for HQP who intend to excel within academia or join the highly skilled industrial workforce.