Strong Gravitational Lensing at High Spectral Resolution

当来自遥远星系的光被来自另一个星系的引力沿视线弯曲时，就会发生引力透镜效应。光线在天空中延伸到更大的区域，使背景星系看起来更亮，但扭曲了它的形状。研究背景星系和前景透镜的传统方法是将理论模型应用于高角分辨率的观测。这个项目的目标是将新的理论模型应用到高分辨率的观测中，就像射电望远镜所做的那样。PI（理论家）和Co-PI（观察员）将与罗格斯大学的研究生和本科生合作实现这一目标。该项目将支持美国之前对大型射电望远镜阵列的投资，并提高对暗物质、黑洞和星系演化的理解。该项目还将培养学生的研究能力，包括来自弱势背景的即将升入大二的学生。该项目将引入一种新的方法来模拟来自美国国家科学基金会甚大阵列、阿塔卡马大型毫米/亚毫米阵列和类似设施的数据。新方法将在PI的公共透镜模型软件包中实现。它将应用于两种遥远星系的紧凑透镜和扩展透镜。利用透镜类星体宿主星系，该项目将研究黑洞尺度关系的演化。对于透镜状的尘埃恒星形成星系，该项目将研究恒星形成的极端模式。由此产生的模型将用于表征透镜平面亚结构并测试冷暗物质结构形成范式。除了培训研究生外，PI和Co-PI还将通过一门新的研讨会课程，为罗格斯大学教育机会基金的一年级学生介绍本科生进行研究。本课程将结合专业发展、来自不同背景的科学家和工程师的传记材料，以及实践研究活动。

Gravitational lensing occurs when light from a distant galaxy is bent by gravity from another galaxy along the line of sight. The light is stretched over a larger area on the sky, making the background galaxy appear brighter but distorting its shape. A traditional way to study the background galaxies and foreground lenses is to apply theoretical models to observations with high angular resolution. The goal of this project is to apply new theoretical models to observations with high resolution, like those made by radio telescopes. The PI (a theorist) and Co-PI (an observer) will work with Rutgers graduate and undergraduate students to achieve this goal. The project will support prior U.S. investments in large arrays of radio telescopes and improve the understanding of dark matter, black holes, and galaxy evolution. The project will also train students in research, including rising sophomores from disadvantaged backgrounds.This project will introduce a new way to model data from NSF's Very Large Array, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and similar facilities. The new method will be implemented in the PI's public lensmodel software package. It will be applied to both compact and extended lenses in two types of distant galaxies. With lensed quasar host galaxies the project will examine the evolution of black hole scaling relations. With lensed dusty star-forming galaxies the project will examine an extreme mode of star formation. The resulting models will be used to characterize lens-plane substructure and test the cold dark matter structure formation paradigm. In addition to training graduate students, the PI and Co-PI will introduce undergraduate students to research through a new seminar course for first-year Educational Opportunity Fund students at Rutgers. This class will combine professional development, biographical material on scientists and engineers from diverse backgrounds, and hands-on research activities.