The formation and evolution of massive galaxies

观测宇宙学试图理解当今宇宙中丰富而复杂的结构形成和演化的过程。虽然结构形成的概论现在已经很好地确立了，但星系演化的细节仍然不清楚，这主要是由于在小尺度上表现的复杂物理。我在这个领域的研究方法是多方面的，结合了许多不同的，但互补的研究。我对少数星系进行了详细的研究，这可以让我们了解推动它们进化的非常具体的物理原理；还有对大样本的统计研究，它提供了关于星系整体特性和星系演化总体趋势的信息。研究孤立存在的星系以及在独特的高密度区域演化的星系限制了环境在形成星系中的作用，我们知道这是一个重要因素。我还对整个电磁波谱进行了采样，但重点是红外波长，到目前为止，对红外波长的研究相对较少。这样的多波长数据是至关重要的，因为不同波长的观测可以探测到与星系演化相关的不同物理过程。例如，红外线使我们能够研究星系中当前的恒星形成，而可见光则为我们提供了以前恒星形成的信息。我对这样的问题很感兴趣：环境是如何推动星系演化的？大质量星系是在恒星形成的一次爆发中形成的，还是它们的增长是随着时间的推移而延长的？一个不断增长的中心黑洞是否调节了星系形成恒星的能力，如果有，是如何调节的？利用上述补充技术，以及新一代的望远镜和探测器，我们现在可以开始回答这些问题。

Observational cosmology is an attempt to understand the processes by which the rich and complex structure in the present-day universe formed and evolved. While the generalities of structure formation are now well established, the details of galaxy evolution remain unclear, largely due to the complex physics which manifests on small scales.  My approach to research in this area is multifacited, combining a number of different, yet complementary, studies. I work on detailed studies of small numbers of galaxies, which can teach us about very specific physics driving their evolution; but also statistical studies of large samples, which provides information on global properties of galaxies and the overall trends in galaxy evolution. Studying galaxies which exist in isolation as well as those evolving in unique high density regions constrains the role of the environment in forming galaxies, which we know to be an important factor. I also sample the entire electromagnetic spectrum, though with a strong focus on the  infrared wavelength regime, which until now has been relatively poorly studied. Such multiwavelength data are crucial as observations at different wavelengths probe different physical processes which are relevant to galaxy evolution. For example, the infrared allows us to study the current star formation in a galaxy, while optical light gives us information on previous star formation. I am interested in questions such as: how does the environment drive galaxy evolution?  Do massive galaxies form in a single burst of star formation or is their growth extended over time? Does a growing central black hole regulate the the ability of a galaxy to form stars, and if so, how? Using the complementary techniques described above, and the new generation of telescopes and detectors, we can now begin to answer these questions.