The Role of Gas in the Evolution of Galaxies

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

One of the principal unsolved problems in modern astrophysics is the formation and evolution of galaxies. Astronomers wish to understand when galaxies first develop, as well as how star formation evolves over the history of the universe. The ultimate goal of this proposal is to develop a physical understanding, informed by observations of galaxies in the nearby and distant universe, of some of the main processes that shape galaxies. The Principal Investigator and collaborators will use new observations, including those with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI), to study a number of topics that are required to improve our understanding of galaxy evolution. In a multi-pronged strategy, the team will study the evolution of gas fractions and depletion time scales in main sequence galaxies during cosmic time, the mass dependence of gas fractions, the dominant feedback and quenching mechanisms in field galaxies, the physics of galaxy outflows, and the physical conditions in molecular clouds in low metallicity and starburst galaxies. This research will lead to a greatly improved understanding of galaxy evolution, with ALMA observations forming a central component of the research. The PI will also work with the Graduate Resources Advancing Diversity with Maryland Astronomy and Physics initiative (GRAD-MAP), which is a program designed to lessen the barriers faced by minorities to enter astronomy and physics graduate school. Finally, the PI will continue the development of the Astronomy Workshop Extragalactic (AWE) website, which provides a suite of online demonstrations of astronomical concepts.