Illuminating the Interplay of Multiphase Galactic Winds and the CGM: Insights into the Processes that Regulate Galaxy Evolution and Shape Observations

About This Grant

This project will help us understand how galaxies, like our Milky Way, grow and change over time. Galaxies are filled with gas that forms stars and fuels black holes. When stars explode as supernovae, they send out large amounts of energy and material into space, creating galactic winds that can shape how galaxies develop. These winds are important because they can stop galaxies from becoming too massive and full of gas. However, there is a big difference between what leading computer models predict about these winds and what we actually observe. The investigator will use advanced computer simulations to study how these winds interact with the gas that surrounds galaxies, known as the circumgalactic medium (CGM). By combining these simulations with real observations, the project will give us new insights into how galaxies evolve. This work will involve students, helping train the next generation of scientists and improving our understanding of the universe. The investigator team will address the glaring discrepancy between current cosmological galaxy formation models and observations of galactic wind outflow rates by focusing on the interaction between galactic winds and the CGM. Using the state-of-the-art adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) magnetohydrodynamics code framework, athena++, the investigators will conduct high-resolution simulations that capture the self-consistent launching and dynamics of these galactic winds and their interactions with the CGM. These simulations will include key physical processes such as magnetic fields, thermal conduction, and cosmic rays, UV shielding, thermal conduction, and non-equilibrium ionization, assessing their individual and collective impact. Crucially, the use of AMR in these simulations will enable unparalleled spatial fidelity, from the interiors of galaxies to the expansive CGM. A robust forward modeling pipeline will be developed to produce multi-wavelength mock observations, enabling direct comparisons with observational data from instruments such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This collaborative team includes with experts in simulations, theory, and observations. 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.