Series: Astronomy Colloquium
Date: Wednesday 02-Mar-2022
Time: 16:05-17:00 (4:05-5:00 pm)
Location: Zoom
Speaker: Dr. Josh Simon (Carnegie Observatories)
Title: Dwarf Galaxies as Astrophysical Laboratories
The dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way are the oldest, least luminous, most dark matter-dominated, and least chemically evolved stellar systems known. To begin, I will provide a brief introduction to these galaxies, highlighting the recent discovery of large numbers of ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. I will then explain how we can measure their dark matter content and describe some of the numerous ways that dwarfs are being used to constrain the properties of dark matter. Finally, I will show how chemical abundance measurements of dwarf galaxy stars provided critical insight into r-process nucleosynthesis prior to the LIGO discovery of a neutron star merger.
Colloquia for the Fall 2020 semester will be held on zoom. Contact Dr. Leslie Sage for details.
Colloquium Organizer:
Dr. Leslie Sage
Special accommodations for individuals with disabilities can be made by calling (301) 405-3001. It would be appreciated if we are notified at least one week in advance.
