Pioneering measurements of hidden gas in our Milky Way Galaxy

该项目旨在测量我们银河系中隐藏的气体。扩散气体到致密云再到恒星的动态转换是星系运行的关键组成部分。最近的研究表明，在扩散相和致密相之间存在着巨大的未被探测到的气体储藏--这是连接扩散气体和恒星形成云的缺失环节。该项目旨在利用射电谱线观测和理论模型来揭示这种隐藏的气体，以了解它在恒星形成过程中所扮演的中介角色。这些结果有望改变人们对星系如何形成和演化的理解，从早期的宇宙到现在。

This project aims to measure hidden gas in our Milky Way Galaxy. The dynamic transformation of diffuse gas to dense clouds and then to stars is a crucial component of how galaxies function. Recent work implies vast reservoirs of undetected gas intermediate between the diffuse and dense phases – a missing link connecting diffuse gas to star-forming clouds. This project aims to uncover that hidden gas, using radio spectral line observations and theoretical models to understand its role as an intermediary on the road to star formation. These results are expected to change understanding of how galaxies form and evolve from the early universe to the present day.