Collaborative Research: The Last Gasp - Shutting Down Massive Galaxies at z~0.6

这个项目将研究遥远的星系，这些星系正在关闭它们最后一次星星形成的爆发，并从螺旋星系--如银河系--转变为圆形和死椭圆星系。虽然这个过程很常见，因为大多数大型星系是椭圆星系，而年轻星系是螺旋星系，但人们对它的了解很少。该项目将利用恒星和气体中新转变的星系的详细特性来测试形成模型。更广泛的影响将支持代表性不足的少数民族学生过渡到研究生院通过桥梁计划在普林斯顿大学和匹兹堡大学。这项工作评估可能的淬火机制，使用一个独特的样本的中等红移大规模后星暴星系。这些星系最近熄灭了它们的主要恒星形成事件-但它们足够接近，多波长观测可以阐明它们详细的，空间分辨的恒星性质和分子气体库。通过结合最近淬灭的大质量星系的统计样本的解析运动学、恒星年龄分布、剩余气体含量和视觉形态，并与SIMBA宇宙学模拟中淬灭的时间尺度和随机性进行比较，该项目将确定驱动蓝色星星形成、旋转盘状星系转变为红色和死亡、运动学热的主要淬灭机制，球状体此外，该团队将扩大一个行之有效的计划，以扩大和加强对普林斯顿大学和匹兹堡大学学士后学生的支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This project will study distant galaxies in the midst of shutting down their last burst of star formation and metamorphosing from spiral galaxies - like the Milky Way - into round and dead elliptical galaxies. Although this process is common, as most large galaxies are ellipticals while young galaxies are spirals, it is poorly understood. This project will use the detailed properties of newly transformed galaxies in stars and gas to test formation models. The broader impacts will support underrepresented minority students transition to graduate school through bridge programs at Princeton University and the University of Pittsburgh.This work assesses possible quenching mechanisms using a unique sample of intermediate-redshift massive post-starburst galaxies. These galaxies have recently quenched their major star-forming episode - yet they are sufficiently nearby that multi-wavelength observations can illuminate their detailed, spatially resolved stellar properties and molecular gas reservoirs. By combining the resolved kinematics, distribution of stellar ages, remaining gas content, and visual morphologies of this statistical sample of recently quenched massive galaxies and comparing with the timescales and stochasticity of quenching within the SIMBA cosmological simulations, this project will determine the dominant quenching mechanism(s) driving the transformation of blue star forming, rotating, disk galaxies into red-and-dead, kinematically hot, spheroids. In addition, the team will extend a proven program to broaden and strengthen support of post-baccalaureate students at Princeton and the University of Pittsburgh.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.