Collaborative Research: Physics and Applications of Lyman-Alpha Emission of Star-forming Galaxies

对莱曼-阿尔法发射星系(LAE)的观测为恒星形成星系的形成和演化以及宇宙的大尺度结构提供了线索。郑岑将模拟数百个模拟星系的莱曼-阿尔法辐射。这项工作将建立一个解释LAE观测的理论框架。该小组正在积极开展公众宣传活动。CEN参加了纽约市美国自然历史博物馆罗斯-海登天文馆的一个项目。郑将与犹他大学的难民一起探索科学研究生教育项目的基础。该计划通过动手科学研讨会和活动为学生进入大学做好准备，为未被充分代表的初中生和高中生提供服务。郑岑将利用高分辨率的宇宙流体动力学星系形成模拟，结合高效的蒙特卡罗莱曼-阿尔法辐射转移程序来研究LAE的莱曼-阿尔法发射特性和LAE的集群。观测天文学家将使用这个理论框架来解释来自环绕星系和星际介质的莱曼-阿尔法辐射，研究LAES在再电离时代的作用，并测试LAES用于绘制大尺度结构图。模拟数据还将用于改进LAE检测算法，评估正在进行和未来LAE调查中的系统不确定性，并提供模拟数据来测试调查分析管道。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Observations of Lyman-alpha emitting galaxies (LAEs) provide clues to the formation and evolution of star forming galaxies, and the large-scale structure of the Universe. Zheng and Cen will simulate the Lyman-alpha emission for hundreds of simulated galaxies. This work will establish a theoretical framework for interpreting LAE observations. The team is actively engaged in public outreach. Cen participates in a program at the Rose-Hayden Planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Zheng will work with the Refugees Exploring the Foundations of Under Graduate Education in Science program at the University of Utah. The program serves under-represented middle and high school students through hands-on science workshops and activities designed to prepare the students for college.Zheng and Cen will employ a high-resolution cosmological hydrodynamic galaxy formation simulation combined with an efficient Monte Carlo Lyman-alpha radiative transfer code to investigate Lyman-alpha emission properties of LAEs and the clustering of LAEs. Observational astronomers will use this theoretical framework to interpret Lyman-alpha emission from circumgalactic and intergalactic media, investigate the role of LAEs during the epoch of reionization, and test the use of LAEs to map large scale structure. The simulated data will also be used to refine LAE detection algorithms, evaluate systematic uncertainties in on-going and future LAE surveys, and provide simulated data to test survey analysis pipelines.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.