Spectrally resolved studies of galactic outflows at Cosmic Noon

Speaker: 
Keerthi Vasan
Institution: 
UC Davis
Date: 
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Time: 
4:00 pm
Location: 
RH 192

Abstract:

Galaxy formation is regulated by the ejection of large-scale “outflows” of gas from their interstellar medium (ISM), driven by energy released from Feedback processes such as star formation and/or accretion onto supermassive black holes.These outflows can be studied at high redshifts via absorption line kinematics, but obtaining good velocity resolution at these epochs is challenging.

In this talk, I will discuss results from our kinematic study of outflowing gas viewed “down the barrel” in 20 gravitationally lensed galaxies during Cosmic Noon (z=1.5−3.5) observed with Keck/ESI and Magellan/MagE, where lensing magnification enables good signal-to-noise and spectral resolution. This work represents the largest available sample of well-resolved outflow velocity structure at z > 2, and highlights the need for good spectral resolution to recover accurate properties essential for studies of Feedback. I will also discuss our ongoing efforts as part of the ASTRO 3D Galaxy Evolution with Lenses (AGEL) survey to discover and spectroscopically followup new gravitationally lensed systems from ground based surveys. 

Host: 
Paul Robertson