Diagnostic Signatures of Radiative Feedback from Massive Stars

Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff AZ

Investigators

Abstract

AST 0204853 Oey Radiative feedback from massive stars is energetically fundamental to galaxy and cosmic evolution, and it also provides essential emission-line diagnostics of conditions both locally and in the distant universe. Our current limited understanding of radiative feedback greatly hampers investigations of present-day local processes as well as of galaxy formation and the early universe. Dr. Sally Oey, at Lowell Observatory, will carry out a comprehensive investigation of radiative feedback processes ranging from specific nebular ionization conditions to large-scale, global ionization processes in galaxies and the intergalactic medium. The goals are: 1) To understand specifically how ionizing spectral types and chemical abundances affect nebular emission, and to calibrate corresponding nebular line diagnostics; and 2) to understand global radiative feedback processes in galaxies by investigating large-scale properties of diffuse ionized gas, HII region populations, and implications for the escape of ionizing photons from galaxies. ***