A New Generation of Absorption Spectroscopy Experiments Probing the Epoch of Reionization

新一代吸收光谱实验探索再电离时代

• 批准号: 2307180
• 负责人: Joseph Hennawi
• 金额: $ 54.39万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Barbara
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-07-15 至 2026-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2307180&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: New; Generation; Absorption; Spectroscopy; Experiments

In the early universe, much of the gas between galaxies was neutral hydrogen. The early generations of stars, galaxies, and black holes emitted radiation that ionized this gas. The period of time when this occurred is known as the epoch of reionization. The history of reionization sheds light on the nature and evolution of the early universe. This project will use observations of the most distant quasars to study the ionization state of the hydrogen gas between us and the quasars. The project will also study the enrichment of the gas by heavier elements produced in the first stars. The project will also support one graduate student, partially support a post-doc, and provide summer stipends for two undergraduates from Hispanic Serving Institutions in years 1 and 2. The project will also provide indirect support for the maintenance and distribution of the PypeIt software package for spectroscopic data reduction.The project will use spectroscopic data from the Keck telescope for 200 quasar sightlines to study the intergalactic medium (IGM). The quasars are all at redshifts greater than 6. The spectroscopic analysis will allow for the identification of the local ionization status of the IGM as well as identifying evidence of enrichment of the IGM with metals from the first supernovae. By identifying the local ionization status around the quasars, the project will also provide a history of the radiative history of the quasar -- thus allowing for a better understanding of how these supermassive black holes grew to such large masses within 800 Myr after the Big Bang. The project will conduct end-to-end analyses encompassing observations, theoretical modeling, state-of-the-art simulations, and Bayesian inference to provide a solid methodological footing for study of the epoch of reionization.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.

在早期的宇宙中，星系之间的许多气体都是中性氢。恒星，星系和黑洞的早期几代发出了辐射，使这种气体离子。发生这种情况的时间被称为电离时期。电源的历史阐明了早期宇宙的性质和演变。该项目将使用最遥远的类星体观察来研究我们与类星体之间的氢气的电离状态。该项目还将研究第一颗恒星中产生的较重元素对气体的富集。 The project will also support one graduate student, partially support a post-doc, and provide summer stipends for two undergraduates from Hispanic Serving Institutions in years 1 and 2. The project will also provide indirect support for the maintenance and distribution of the PypeIt software package for spectroscopic data reduction.The project will use spectroscopic data from the Keck telescope for 200 quasar sightlines to study the intergalactic medium （IGM）。类星体的红移大于6。光谱分析将允许鉴定IGM的局部电离状态，并鉴定出使用第一个超新星的金属富集IgM的证据。通过识别类星体周围的局部电离状态，该项目还将提供类星体辐射历史的历史 - 从而可以更好地理解大爆炸后在800 Myr之内如何在800 Myr之后的大型群众中越来越多。该项目将进行端到端分析，其中包括观察，理论建模，最先进的模拟和贝叶斯推断，以提供扎实的方法论基础，以研究革命性时代的研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过基金会的知识优点和广泛的crigitia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia criperia recsection the奖项。