A Study of the Faint Debris Remnant of Large Galaxy, Small Galaxy Interactions

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Galaxies can grow bigger by accreting smaller, neighboring galaxies. The debris from such events leaves trails of stars in the outskirts of the growing galaxy. By analyzing the debris, scientists hope to reconstruct how these tumultuous events unfolded. The starlight from the debris is extremely faint at optical wavelengths. Observations of such low-surface-brightness debris have been possible only recently. The team will use cutting-edge theory and simulations to catalog the kinds of structures expected for the debris. The team's statistician will isolate the structures that help the most with the reconstructions. Observers will then look for such telltale structures. Senior team members will train junior members. During her colloquium visits nation-wide, the PI will discuss barriers facing minorities in science. Through a partnership with a non-profit, the team will engage with underserved high school students in New York City. The team will study debris structures left in galaxy halos by the destruction of small, accreted galaxies. The goals of the team are to (1) make theoretical estimates of the expected structures, (2) create libraries of synthetic surveys of simulated galaxy halos, and (3) develop and test statistical measures of various properties of the structures.