Connecting the dots: Tracking hydrogen as it moves from large-scale atomic HI in the circumgalactic medium to cloud-scale molecular gas in star forming regions

Sardone, Amy, Morgantown WV

Investigators

Abstract

Amy Sardone is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct a program of research and education at the Ohio State University. Sardone will study how large-scale atomic hydrogen gas around galaxies is converted into molecular hydrogen and fuels star formation in small-scale molecular gas clouds within galaxies. Alongside this research, Sardone will implement a science research mentoring program for high school students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Sardone will measure the inflow of atomic hydrogen, identify star-forming regions, and study the relationship between the atomic hydrogen gas and molecular hydrogen gas in a large sample of nearby galaxies. This will allow astronomers to understand the transition between the atomic and molecular gas, and its role in controlling star formation in galaxies. For the educational component of her work, Sardone will conduct a research mentoring program aimed at improving the recruitment, retention, and success of low-income and underrepresented minority students in STEM fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.