Series: Astronomy Colloquium
Date: Wednesday 21-Apr-2021
Time: 16:00-17:00 (4:00-5:00 pm)
Location: Zoom
Speaker: Dr. Justin Spilker (University of Texas)
Title: How to Regulate Galaxy Growth Through Cosmic History
One of the most important realizations of the last fifteen years is the vital role that galactic feedback must play in the evolution of galaxies. An umbrella term for a wide array of physical processes that already began to affect galaxies in the first billion years after the Big Bang, feedback allows galaxies to self-regulate their growth, links the buildup of stellar mass and black holes, and connects galaxies to the dark matter haloes they live in. Because of the vast range of physical and temporal scales involved and a lack of direct observational tracers, studying feedback in action has remained difficult. I will discuss a few of my ongoing efforts to understand the causes and effects of galactic feedback, focusing on populations of galaxies that show the effects of feedback most strikingly. Key results include the first-ever sample of objects with detected galaxy-scale cold gas outflows at z = 4 - 7, and a qualitatively new way to quench star formation in distant objects from observations of lower-redshift post-starburst galaxies. While a complete statistical understanding of feedback and galactic outflows will require the powerful observatories of the next decade, I will argue that significant progress can be made now by carefully picking and choosing galaxies where the effects of feedback are most prominent.
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.
