Characterizing Star Formation in the Tidal Debris of Minor Galaxy Mergers

Karen Knierman被授予美国国家科学基金会天文学和天体物理学博士后奖学金，在亚利桑那州立大学开展研究和教育项目。不同质量的星系之间的合并在宇宙中非常常见，可能会影响大多数星系，包括我们所在的银河系。这些小合并产生的碎片是研究影响恒星形成因素的独特场所，因为它远离合并的密集中心。由于潮汐碎片的压力和密度较低，这项研究探索了恒星形成的下限。为了吸引科学和工程领域的多样化劳动力，一个新的天文学推广计划--多元文化银河--将让亚利桑那州服务不足的人群了解我们的银河系和其他星系。亚利桑那州是许多具有丰富文化历史的不同人口的家园，如玛雅人、纳瓦霍人和阿帕奇人。将本土文化中的天文学与西方天文学联系起来，可能会增加人们对科学的兴趣。通过多文化的天文馆展览和相关的动手活动，服务不足的家庭将了解银河系是如何在不同的文化中表现出来的，以及关于星系的科学。这个项目将描述恒星如何在潮汐碎片中形成，以及碎片的来源。分子氢的窄带红外图像将提供热分子气体成分的图片，以及尾巴的星际介质是如何通过原位恒星形成塑造的。该项目将首次对小型合并中的分子氢进行调查。通过光学、H-α和亚毫米级的观测，这些数据将给出更完整的关于小型合并的潮汐碎片中恒星形成的图景。根据小型合并中潮汐团相对于母体螺旋星系和矮星系区域的光谱计算的金属丰度，可以确定小型合并的潮汐碎片的来源：被吞噬的矮星、螺旋的外部区域或中心。此外，一个新的天文学推广活动--多元文化银河，将让亚利桑那州服务不足的人群了解恒星和星系。将为Digistar静态天文馆和StarLab便携式天文馆制作新的展示不同文化如何看待银河系的节目。星际实验室的展示和相关的新实践活动将在亚利桑那州周围的社区天文之夜进行。为确保评估的真实性，将与教育导师一起制定评估技术和程序。

Karen Knierman is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at Arizona State University. Mergers between galaxies of different mass are very common in the universe and may affect the majority of galaxies including our own Milky Way galaxy. The debris produced in these minor mergers is a unique place to study the factors that influence star formation since it is away from the dense centers of the mergers. Due to the lower pressures and densities in the tidal debris, this study probes the lower bounds of where star formation is possible. To attract a diverse workforce in science and engineering, a new astronomy outreach initiative, Multicultural Milky Way, will engage under-served populations in Arizona in learning about our Milky Way and other galaxies. Arizona is home to many diverse populations with rich cultural histories such as Mayan, Navajo, and Apache. Linking astronomy practiced by one's indigenous culture to that of Western astronomy may increase the interest in science. Through multicultural planetarium shows and associated hands-on activities, under-served families will learn how the Milky Way is represented in different cultures and about the science of galaxies. This project will characterize how star formation occurs in tidal debris and the origin of the debris. Narrowband infrared images of molecular hydrogen will provide a picture of the hot molecular gas component and how the interstellar medium of the tail has been molded by in-situ star formation. This project will provide the first survey of molecular hydrogen in minor mergers. With optical, H-alpha, and submillimeter observations, these data will give a more complete picture of star formation in tidal debris of minor mergers. Using the metallicity calculated from spectra of tidal clumps in minor mergers compared to regions in the parent spiral and dwarf galaxy, the origin of the tidal debris of minor mergers can be determined: the cannibalized dwarf, the outer regions of the spiral, or the center. In addition, a new astronomy outreach initiative, Multicultural Milky Way, will engage under-served populations in Arizona in learning about stars and galaxies. New shows featuring how different cultures view the Milky Way will be created for the Digistar static and STARLAB portable planetariums. STARLAB shows and associated new hands-on activities will feature at Community Astronomy Nights around Arizona. For authentic assessment, evaluation techniques and procedures will be developed with education mentors.