Simulating the Extraordinary Life and Death of High-Redshift Galaxies

Sarah Wellons被授予NSF天文学和天体物理学博士后奖学金，在西北大学进行研究和教育计划。 她将进行大规模的计算机模拟，以研究早期宇宙中大规模遥远星系的生命周期和性质，并了解它们与附近星系的不同之处。 这项研究的结果将使天文学家能够准确地解释早期星系的观测结果。 沿着这项研究，Wellons将为被监禁的学生开发一门天文学课程。Wellons将采用大体积和放大模拟相结合的方法来研究高红移的大质量星系的关键方面（2）。 这些模拟将探索淬灭星星形成的机制，连接大小尺度的物理过程，并通过宇宙时间管理大质量星系的运动学演化。 这项工作将为在高红移下对大质量静止星系的令人困惑的观测提供理论背景，并为未来对越来越遥远的星系的观测设定预期。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为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来支持。

Sarah Wellons is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct a program of research and education at Northwestern University. She will perform large-scale computer simulations to study the lifecycle and properties of massive distant galaxies in the early Universe and to understand how they differ from nearby galaxies. Results from this study will allow astronomers to accurately interpret observations of early galaxies. Along with this research, Wellons will develop an astronomy course for incarcerated students.Wellons will employ a combination of large-volume and as zoom-in simulations to investigate key aspects of massive galaxies at high redshifts ( 2). The simulations will explore mechanisms that quench star formation, connect physical processes at large and small size scales, and govern the kinematic evolution of massive galaxies through cosmic time. This work will provide theoretical context for puzzling observations of massive quiescent galaxies at high redshifts, as well as set expectations for future observations of increasingly distant galaxies.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.