Study of Galactic Structure and Evolution

[9624924]鲁道夫对星系结构和演化的研究是天文学中最基本的研究之一。这项研究将集中于研究我们银河系的结构和演化，通过比较我们银河系的两个不同部分，太阳附近和外星系的观测结果。太阳附近是银河系中被研究得最好的区域。外星系还不太清楚，但它的距离和物理条件的差异（例如，低气体密度，低金属丰度）使它成为研究与当地邻居对比的理想场所。研究领域包括：1)寻找和研究外星系中的氢原子（HII）区域；2)研究银河系的丰度及其在银河系中的变化；3)分子云结构研究；4)研究活跃恒星形成区域的恒星含量。超大阵列（VLA）和澳大利亚望远镜紧凑阵列（ATCA）对外部星系HII区域的射电连续调查已经开始，这项工作将通过分析数据来确定HII区域的性质。这些数据可以与银河系内部的类似数据进行比较。该调查将用于观测低光度射电源。柯伊伯机载天文台测量HII区域外星系丰度（N，O，S）的研究。红外卫星观测站（ISO）将用于观测一些外星系HII区域的额外Ar和Ne线，并测量距离银河系中心28kpc的已知最远HII区域的丰度。第三个目标将涉及对外星系两个恒星形成区域进行新的分子线观测，以确定分子云的结构。特别是，计划测量这些云中的团质量谱（初始团函数，或ICF），以便与本地云中ICF参数的大量测量进行比较。最后的目标是使用安装在克莱蒙特学院l-m望远镜上的近红外相机获得JHK附近一些恒星形成云的光度。有了这个望远镜和相机，整个云可以被映射（比如rho-Oph），从而获得嵌入式星团的完整普查。观测到的星团光度函数的模型将使我们能够确定潜在的IMF。将获得外星系类似的星团成员数据，使人们能够比较两个金属丰度非常不同的区域的IMF。此外，比较本星系和外星系的ICF和lMF将有助于人们了解恒星是如何从分子云团团到不同质量的恒星形成的。该项目的教育部分将侧重于课程开发和现代化。哈维马德学院开设的观测天文学课程在过去被忽视了，包括非光学天文学的最新进展。新的讲课材料和计算机实验室正在开发中，以将非光学数据引入课程。高等天文学课程将重新设计为一系列专题半学期课程（如：恒星形成与星际介质、宇宙学、河外天文学、银河结构等），将现代天文学主题引入课程，提高学生对高等天文学的兴趣。这个项目的教育部分也将继续去年开始的K-12外展工作，通过与两名当地克莱蒙特学区教师的合作。

9624924 Rudolph The study of galactic structure and evolution is one of the most fundamental in Astronomy. The research to be carried will focus on studying the structure and evolution of our own Milky Way by comparing observations of two distinct parts of our Galaxy, the local solar neighborhood, and the outer Galaxy. The solar neighborhood is the best studied region of the Galaxy. The outer Galaxy is less well understood, but its proximity and differences in physical conditions (e.g., low gas density, low metallicity) make it an ideal place to study contrasts with the local neighborhood. The areas of study be: 1) searches for and studies of atomic hydrogen (HII) regions in the outer Galaxy; 2) a study of Galactic abundances and how they vary in the Galaxy; 3) studies of molecular cloud structure; and 4) studies of the stellar content of regions of active star-formation. A Very Large Array (VLA) and Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) radio continuum survey of HII regions in the outer Galaxy has begun, and this work will be continued by analyzing the data to determine HII region properties. These data can be compared with similar data taken in the inner Galaxy. The survey will be carried out to observe lower luminosity radio sources. A study of outer Galaxy abundances (N,O,S) in HII regions measured from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. The Infrared Satellite Observatory (ISO) will be used to observe additional lines of Ar and Ne in some outer Galaxy HII regions, and to measure abundances in the furthest known HII region at a distance of 28 kpc from the center of the Galaxy. A third objective will involve new molecular-line observations of two star-forming regions in the outer Galaxy in order to determine the structure of the molecular clouds. In particular, it is planned to measure the spectrum of clump masses (initial clump function, or ICF) in t hese clouds in order to compare with the numerous measurements of the ICF parameter in local clouds. The final objective is to obtain JHK photometry of a number of nearby star-forming clouds using a near-IR camera mounted on the Claremont Colleges l-m telescope. With this telescope and camera, entire clouds could be mapped (such as rho-Oph), thereby obtaining a complete census of the embedded cluster. Models of the observed cluster luminosity function will allow us to determine the underlying IMF. Similar cluster membership data for the outer Galaxy will be obtained, allowing one to compare the IMF in two regions of very different metallicity. Also, comparison of the ICF and lMF in both the local neighborhood and in the outer Galaxy will help one understand how star-formation proceeds from molecular cloud clumps to stars of various masses. The educational component of this project will focus on course development and modernization. The Observational Astronomy course offered at Harvey Mudd College has, in the past, neglected including recent advances in non-optical astronomy. New lecture material and computer laboratories are being developed to introduce non-optical data into the course. The Advanced Astronomy course will be redesigned into a series of topical half-semester courses (e.g., Star-formation and the Interstellar Medium, Cosmology, Extragalactic Astronomy, Galactic Structure, etc.) to introduce modern astronomical topics into the curriculum and to increase student interest in advanced Astronomy. The educational component of this project will also continue K-12 outreach work begun in the last year, through a partnership with two local Claremont School District teachers.