LEAPS-MPS: Unveiling the Role of a Galaxy's Structure with Bespoke Numerical Models

Galaxies come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and each has a subtly different rate at which it forms stars and depletes its gas supply. Spiral galaxies, like our own Milky Way, act as great star formation engines of the Universe. Over their several billion-year histories they convert their gas reservoirs into stellar material. These stars then deliver energy and material back into the interstellar medium (ISM). The principal investigator will use computer simulations to gauge the role of the shape and dynamics of a given galaxy in determining how well it forms stars. By comparing six model galaxies, spanning a range of morphologies, connections can be made between structure and rate of star formation and inform interpretations of data from modern observational facilities. The project will employ two undergraduate researchers who will be tasked with constraining initial conditions of the simulations, testing new physics routines in the simulation code, and comparing results of simulations to observable data products. The PI will also develop a new undergraduate astrophysical research methods course to foster greater interest in astronomy and prepare students for higher level degrees in the field. The team will conduct hydrodynamical+gravitational numerical simulations of nearby systems to assess to what degree a galaxy’s structure and dynamics are a controlling factor in regulating its star forming activity. A complete picture of the star formation process is vital throughout astronomy, tying directly into the numbers of stars formed in a given location in a galaxy, their resulting elemental abundances, and conditions surrounding them. Currently, there is a lack of a suite of galactic simulations tailored to specific nearby galaxies in the field. This work will be the first of its kind and will formulate a tailored set of models that would act as a 1:1 comparison tool to test models of gaseous and stellar physics and their role in cloud creation and star formation. This will allow a detailed study of the impact of spiral arms and galactic bars inherent to these systems on the star formation process and in sculpting their dense gas. The project will use an array of metrics to test the model results against real observations, including resolved star formation relations, scale-heights of gas/stars, and structure/kinematics of gaseous disks. 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.