Time takes its toll: understanding why galaxies slow down as they get older

星系的旋转速度正在减慢，没有人真正知道原因。理论模拟预测了这种动力转变，但不同的模拟对其确切原因及其相对重要性存在分歧。直到最近，在30 - 40亿年前的星系中，绘制星系过渡期间的气体和恒星分布图以及确定其根本原因所需的数据都非常缺乏。这个项目利用了一个新的数据集来直接检测和解决这个重要的未知问题。预期的结果是对星系动态演化的可靠测量，对其物理驱动因素的识别以及对星系形成理论模拟的重要新约束。

The spin of galaxies is slowing down and nobody really knows why. This dynamical transformation is predicted by theoretical simulations, but different simulations disagree on its exact causes and their relative importance. Until recently, the data required to map the gas and stars in galaxies during the transition and identify its root causes in galaxies around 3-4 billion years ago were critically lacking. This project leverages on a new dataset designed to directly detect and address this important unknown. Expected outcomes are a reliable measurement of the dynamical evolution of galaxies, identification of its physical drivers and important new constraints for theoretical simulations of galaxy formation.