| September 30, 2020 |
Speaker: Di Li |
Title: The Commensal Radio Astronomy FAST Survey (CRAFTS) |
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Institute: Chinese Academy of Science |
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Host: Vikram Ravi |
Abstract: The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) has released its first call for proposal and will be open to the international community next year. Based on a novel technique of high-cadence CAL injection, we have realized the world's first calibrated commensal survey mode, simultaneously taking data for pulsar search, HI galaxies, HI imaging, and FRBs. I introduce here one of the major survey plans, namely, the Commensal Radio Astronomy FAST Survey (CRAFTS, Li et al. 2018), which has discovered more than 100 new pulsars, including a few dozen MSPs, 5 new FRBs, including one new repeater. I will also briefly describe recent FAST results from CRAFTS and other dedicated programs, including new insights into the characteristic energy of FRBs, the formation process of neutron stars, the evolution of interstellar medium, etc. |
| October, 2, 2020 |
Speaker: Danielle Berg |
Title: Extreme UV Emission: Bridging Galaxy Evolution Across Cosmic Time |
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Institute: OSU / UT Austin |
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Host: Chuck Steidel |
Abstract:In the last few years, our first glimpse of the spectral properties of z∼5−7 galaxies has emerged. Deep UV spectra have revealed prominent high-ionization nebular emission lines (i.e., C IV, He II, C III]) indicating that extreme radiation fields may be characteristic of reionization-era systems. While such strong high-ionization emission lines are atypical of the well-studied z∼0−3 galaxy samples, our recent UV spectral campaigns have revealed several galaxies with analogous emission-line features to reionization-era systems. I will discuss the recent detection of extremely strong UV emission in nearby galaxies and the potential sources of their very hard ionizing radiation fields. Such strong detections of high-ionization emission lines have been linked to the leakage of Lyman continuum (LyC) photons (necessary for reionization) both theoretically and observationally. These extreme UV emission-line dwarf galaxies provide a template for the extreme conditions that are important for reionization, however their features are still poorly understood. In preparation for the coming UV window onto the early universe with the advent of ELTs and JWST, I will introduce the COS Legacy Archival Spectroscopic SurveY - an upcoming large HST program designed to disentangle the stellar and nebular spectral signatures of 45 star-forming galaxies. This program will calibrate new UV diagnostics that will allow us to trace galaxy evolution to the distant universe, unveiling the properties of reionization-era galaxies. |
| October 14, 2020 |
Speaker: Keith Hawkins |
Title: Galactic Archaeology with Gaia and Large Spectroscopic Surveys |
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Institute: UT Austin |
One of the key objectives of modern astrophysics is to understand the formation and evolution galaxies. In this regard, the Milky Way is a critical testing ground for our theories of galaxy formation. However, dissecting the assembly history of the Galaxy, requires a detailed mapping of the structural, dynamical chemical, and age distributions of its stellar populations. Recently, we have entered an era of large spectroscopic and astrometric surveys, which has begun to pave the way for the exciting advancements in this field. Combining data from the many multi-object spectroscopic surveys, which are already underway, and the rich dataset from Gaia will undoubtedly be the way forward in order to disentangle the full chemo-dynamical history of our Galaxy. In this talk, I will discuss my current work in Galactic archaeology and how large spectroscopic surveys have and can been used to dissect the structure of our Galaxy. I will also explore the future of Galactic archaeology through chemical cartography. |
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Host: Jim Fuller |
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| October 21, 2020 |
Speaker: Ben Oppenheimer |
Title: Why Measuring Black Hole Masses is Essential for Understanding the Circumgalactic Medium |
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Institute: University of Colorado |
Abstract: Ripped straight from the headlines of the award of this year's Nobel Prize in Physics, I will begin by discussing the potential connection between a galaxy's central supermassive black hole (SMBH) and its gaseous halo, the circumgalactic medium. Cosmological simulations predict a direct connection between these dramatically different scales, which causally arises from the integrated history of SMBH feedback expelling gas beyond the virial radius. While observing this connection is currently challenging, I will discuss the potential of observing hot gaseous halos in X-rays around Milky Way-mass galaxies. I plan to continue discussing Milky Way-mass halos as observed through via UV absorption line signatures, including changes with redshift from z=3 to today. |
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Host: Chuck Steidel |
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| October 28, 2020 |
Speaker: Gwen Rudie |
Title: Feedback and Feeding: The Circumgalactic Medium of Star-Forming Galaxies during Cosmic Noon |
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Institute: Carnegie Observatories |
The exchange of baryons between galaxies and their surrounding intergalactic medium (IGM) is a crucial but poorly constrained aspect of galaxy formation and evolution. I will present three surveys that use classical IGM absorption line techniques to better understand gas flows and the impact of environment on the life cycle of galaxies. Most of my talk will focus on a new detailed study of metal-enriched absorbing gas in the high-z (2"<"z"<"3) circumgalactic medium (CGM) using data from the Keck Baryonic Structure Survey (KBSS). I will highlight results on the size, kinematics, and thermal properties of circumgalactic gas which provide clear evidence of unbound metal-enriched gas within the halos of "z~2" galaxies and demonstrate the CGM at cosmic noon requires constant heating or replenishment of warm gas. Collectively, these data suggest the CGM provides one of the best testing grounds for models of galaxy-scale outflows. Next, I will briefly show forthcoming results from the Cosmic Ultraviolet Baryon Survey (CUBS) which aims to understand the turn down in the cosmic star formation rate density through study of the CGM at 0.4 "<" z "<" 1.0 using HST/COS. I’ll conclude with a short discussion of a new survey underway at Magellan to map the large-scale environment of galaxies at cosmic noon, the Lyman-alpha Tomography IMACS Survey (LATIS). Collectively, these surveys constrain the nature and sphere of influence of galaxy-scale outflows and intergalactic accretion, as well as the impact of environment on galaxies at cosmic noon and beyond. |
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Host: Chuck Steidel |
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| November 4, 2020 |
Speaker: Natasha Batalha |
Title: Interpreting Exoplanet Atmospheres at the Onset of Next-Generation Telescopes |
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Institute: NASA Ames |
Abstract: One of NASA's primary goals is to observationally characterize exoplanet atmospheres, understand the chemical and physical processes of exoplanets and improve the understanding of the origins of exoplanetary systems. Throughout the next decade and beyond, JWST, WFIRST, future mission concepts, and ground based telescopes will work towards achieving these goals by interpreting a diverse set of exoplanet atmosphere observations, ranging from hot gas giants to small temperate rocky worlds. Our understanding and interpretation of this full gamut of spectroscopy data will hinge on our ability to accurately link observations to theoretical models. Therefore, it is imperative that our theoretical models are equipped to tackle these problems. Leading up to this new era in exoplanetary space science, one of our goals has been to ensure that the community is equipped with robust, user-friendly, open-source, theoretical models needed to both plan and execute ground-breaking science. I will first discuss the current landscape of theoretical exoplanet model development. Then, I will discuss our recent developments in cloud, opacity, and spectroscopy models that will work together to enable effective interpretation of exoplanet spectroscopy during this next-generation of observations. |
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Host: Tiffany Meshkat |
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| November 11, 2020 |
Speaker: Subo Dong |
Title: Direct Collision of White Dwarfs as a Possible Major Channel for Type Ia Supernovae |
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Institute: Peking University |
Abstract: The explosion mechanism of Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) is unknown. The continuity in the properties of SNe Ia across the luminosity function suggests a single dominant channel to explain the population. We argue that direct collisions of white dwarfs may be promising as such a major channel. I will present results of our efforts to test the collision model. |
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Host: Ilaria Caiasso |
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| November 18, 2020 |
Speaker: Joss Bland-Hawthorn |
Title: Galactic seismology: the evolution of the “phase spiral” after the Sagittarius impact |
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Institute: University of Sydney |
Abstract: Our Galaxy, the Milky Way, is a benchmark for understanding disk galaxies. It is the only galaxy whose formation history can be studied using the full distribution of stars, from white dwarfs to supergiants. The oldest components provide unique insight into how galaxies form and evolve over billions of years. This is a veritable golden age for galactic archaeology with many large surveys now under way to map both chemistry and motions for stars in the Galaxy. Detailed 6D "phase space" information combined with chemistry for millions of stars heralds a new era in how we slice up the Galactic disc. This has already enabled the most remarkable discovery to emerge from ESA's Gaia satellite — the “phase spiral”. This phenomenon, which was not foreseen, is direct evidence of giant waves crossing the disc. We discuss how the phase spiral is generated and what it may tell us about our history. We review the main science goals of Galactic seismology, and look to what the future may hold. These studies will continue to play a fundamental role far into the future because there are measurements that can only be made in the near field and contemporary astrophysics depends on such observations. |
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Host: Chris Martin |
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| December 2, 2020 |
Speaker: Ann-Marie Madigan |
Title: Collective Gravity in the Outer Solar System |
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Institute: University of Colorado |
Abstract: There’s something odd going on in our solar system. While the planets move on nearly-circular orbits in a well-defined plane, the minor planets beyond Neptune appear to cluster together in a highly-inclined, eccentric, and tilted structure. Astronomers have invoked the presence of an additional planet (Planet 9) or even a primordial black hole in explanation. In this talk I will show that these theories may be unnecessary. In analogy with spiral arms and bars in galaxies, the collective gravity of individually small but collectively massive bodies can create such structures in the outer solar system. |
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Host: Tiffany Meshkat |
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| December 9, 2020 |
Speaker: Rebecca Jensen-Clem |
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Institute: UCSC |
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Host: Mansi Kasliwal |
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| January 6, 2021 |
Speaker: Ellen Zweibel |
Title: |
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Institute: University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Abstract: |
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Host: Jim Fullter |
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| January 20, 2021 |
Speaker: Stephen Smartt |
Title: |
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Institute: Queens University Belfast |
Abstract: |
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Host: Mansi Kasliwal |
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| January 27, 2021 |
Speaker: Erin Kara |
Title: |
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Institute: MIT |
Abstract: |
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Host: Ilaria Caiazzo |
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| February 3, 2021 |
Speaker: Francois Combes |
Title: |
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Institute: Observatoire de Paris |
Abstract: |
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Host: Chris Martin |
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| February 10, 2021 |
Speaker: Silvia Toonen |
Title: |
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Institute: University of Birmingham |
Abstract: |
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Host: Jim Fuller |
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| February 17, 2021 |
Speaker: Tim Bedding |
Title: |
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Institute: University of Sydney |
Abstract: |
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Host: Jim Fuller |
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| March 10, 2021 |
Speaker: Risa Wechsler (Biard Lecture) |
Title: |
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Institute: Stanford University |
Abstract: |
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Host: Mansi Kasliwal |
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