| When: Mondays Time: 2:00PM-3:00PM Where: Dome Room Organizers: Eve Ostriker, [email protected] |
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SFIR (pronounced “sapphire”) is the Star Formation/ISM Rendezvous, a seminar covering research on all aspects of star formation and the interstellar medium in both the Milky Way and external galaxies. SFIR is open to all interested members of the Princeton+IAS astrophysics community, as well as visitors from other departments.
Members of the department (students, postdocs, and faculty) and visitors present research talks, at varying levels of formality, allowing for extensive discussion. Contributions may also include journal-club style presentations and other updates and discussions.
| Date | Name and Institution | Title | Abstract |
| 9/30/24 | Amiel Sternberg (Flatiron Institute and Tel Aviv University) | Thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect in the Circumgalactic Medium of L* Galaxies | I will describe our recent paper Oren+ 2024 arXiv2403.09476 in which we analyze recent observations of the the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect arising in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of L* galaxies. We make use of analytic models and simulations. The observations imply steep radial electron pressure profiles, with baryon fractions exceeding half the cosmic values expected for the dark-matter halos. An isentropic equation of state is favored over an isothermal CGM gas distribution. The tSZ signals are broadly consistent with hot-gas high-ionization metal absorbers such as OVI. The Illustris TNG100 simulation underpredicts the observed tSZ strengths suggesting that the simulation is ejecting too much gas from the galaxy halos. Click here to join us on zoom. |
| 10/7/24 | Keiya Hirashima (U of Tokyo/CCA) | Surrogate Modeling for Supernova Feedback toward Star-by-star Simulations of Milky-Way-sized Galaxies | |
| 10/21/24 | Jesse Han (Havard CfA) | Mapping the Dynamics, Dark matter, and Dense clouds of the Galaxy. | I will present new discoveries about the phase space distribution of stars in the Galactic halo, which in turn can constrain the underlying dark matter distribution. Based on these new insights, I offer a solution to the long-standing problem on the warp (and flare) of the Galactic disk. Furthermore, I show that the same dataset used to study the stellar halo can also be used to constrain the distribution of cold, dense gas in the circum-galactic and interstellar medium. To conclude, I will introduce a transformative all-sky survey with NASA’s Roman Space Telescope, poised to revolutionize our understanding of the Galactic halo and potentially uncover hidden dark matter substructures within our Galaxy. |
| 10/28/24 | Alex Mayer (MPA) | Simulating protostar and protostellar disk formation with of non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics and turbulence on a moving mesh | |
| 11/4/24 | Greg Green (MPIA) | Unveiling the Milky Way dust extinction curve in 3D | |
| 11/18/2024 | Omri Ginzburg (Hebrew University) | Turbulence in high redshift disks - origin & implications | Turbulence is arguably one of the most critical physical processes in galactic disks, playing a key role in the regulation of different phenomena such as star formation, outflows, and gravitational instabilities. High-redshift galactic disks, in particular, exhibit extreme levels of supersonic turbulence, with velocity dispersions ranging from 50 to 150 km/s. Without continuous energy input, this intense turbulence would dissipate rapidly, making it essential to understand the nature and source of its drivers. These drivers not only sustain turbulence but also shape its characteristics, especially the distribution of kinetic energy between compressive and solenoidal modes, which significantly impacts the density structure of the galaxy. A local excess in compressive modes can even assist in local collapse in regions otherwise stabilized against gravitational collapse under classical Toomre framework. In this talk, I will present an analytical bathtub model for turbulent galactic disks, exploring the role of different turbulence drivers. Additionally, I will demonstrate how giant star-forming clumps can emerge in cosmological simulations, even in regions where the Toomre-Q parameter far exceeds unity, by compressive modes of turbulence. Finally, I will discuss the results of a comparison between observed and simulated clumps using deep learning techniques. |
| 11/25/2024 | Eric Andersson (American Museum of Natural History) | The formation of the smallest galaxies, now including simulations with individual stars. | Modern galaxy simulations routinely reach parsec resolution, thus unlocking a more self-consistent treatment for ISM-scale physics while accounting for the galactic-scale gas flows. This level of detail has led to significant progress in modeling and theoretical understanding, particularly concerning star formation regulated by stellar feedback in a multi-phase ISM and accurate tracking of chemical enrichment, which can capture the details of galactic outflows. I present the latest results from the EDGE project, where we investigate the formation of the smallest galaxies in the Universe and use them as laboratories to evaluate the accuracy of the approximations typically used in galaxy simulations. I will show that despite extensive updates in modeling, dwarf galaxy simulations capture fundamental scaling relations, highlighting that galaxy formation theory has entered an era of precise modeling. I will argue that the most promising observables to further constrain new models are gas content, stellar metallicities, and light profiles traced by individual stars. |
| 12/8/2024 | Alon Gurman (Tel Aviv University) | Phase structure and emission line properties in a simulated, self-regulated ISM | In this talk we will discuss results regarding the gas phase structure and [C II] 158 μm emission in sub-pc resolution simulations of a self-regulated ISM. We explore the metallicity dependence of the relation between [C II] luminosity and star formation rate, showing that the scatter in the observed relation in local dwarf galaxies could be driven by metallicity. In addition, we will discuss the importance of magnetic fields and the effects of varying gas surface density on the ISM phase structure. Finally, we will apply the theory of Pressure-Regulated Feedback-Modulated star formation to our simulations. |
Past Semesters
| Date | Speaker | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1/29/24 | Chang-Goo Kim | TIGRESS-NCR predictions on low metallicity conditions. |
| 2/5/24 | Eric Koch (CfA) | Local Group L-Band Survey (https://www.lglbs.org) |
| 2/12/24 | Chang-Goo Kim | |
| 2/19/24 | Grace Telford | |
| 2/26/24 | Sanghyuk Moon | When and how prestellar cores collapse |
| 3/4/24 | Arshia Jacob (JHU) | HyGAL: Investigating the cosmic-ray ionization rate in diffuse clouds |
| 3/11/24 | Jiayi Sun | |
| 3/18/24 | Lucia Armillotta | |
| 3/25/24 | Nora Linzer | |
| 4/1/24 | David Setton | |
| 4/8/24 | Solar Eclipse | |
| 4/15/24 | Conference at STScI | |
| 4/22/24 | Celine Greis (McMaster) | |
| 4/29/24 | No Meeting | |
| 5/6/24 | Ronan Hix |
| Date | Speaker | Talk |
|---|---|---|
| 9/22/22 | Yue Hu University of Wisconsin | Characterizing 3D magnetic fields in star-forming regions |
| 9/29/22 | Ahmad Ali University of Exeter | How does stellar feedback in star-forming regions depend on environment? |
| 10/6/22 | Deanne Fisher Swinburne | Testing Theories of Regulated Star Formation in Clumpy, Gas Rich Disk Galaxies |
| 10/27/22 | Alex Gurvich Northwestern | Rapid galactic disk settling at the end of bursty star formation in the FIRE simulations |
| 11/3/22 | Matilde Mingozzi STSci | Exploring UV diagnostics of the interstellar medium in local high-z analogs in the JWST era |
| 11/10/22 | Caleb Choban UC San Diego | Interstellar Dust Evolution in Cosmological Zoom-in Simulations |
| 11/17/22 | Jonathan Stern Tel-Aviv University | Is 'Disk Settling' Driven by the Physics of the Circumgalactic Medium? |
| 12/1/22 | Ben Keller University of Memphis | New Frontiers in Understanding Feedback-Regulated Galaxy Formation with Simulation |
| 12/8/22 | Xihan Ji University of Kentucky | Deciphering the imprint of stellar feedback in HII regions with nebular diagnostics |
| 12/15/22 | ChongChong He University of Maryland, College Park | Star Formation Laws Regulated by Photoionization Feedback and Formation of Large Keplerian Disks in Magnetized Cores |
| Previous Speakers | ||
| 4/20/22 | Grace Telford Rutgers | |
| 4/13/22 | Eric Moseley Princeton | |
| 4/6/22 | Laura Sommovigo Pisa | Newborn but dusty: the puzzle of EoR galaxies |
| 3/30/22 | Brent Tan UCSB | |
| 3/23/22 | Thales Gutcke Princeton | |
| 3/16/22 | Ulrich Steinwandel CCA | |
| 3/16/22 | Xinfeng Xu JHU | |
| 2/23/22 | Tim-Eric Rathjen Cologne | |
| 12/15/21 | Elena Lacchin INAF | Hydrodynamic simulations of multiple stellar populations in globular clusters |
| 12/8/21 | Marta Reina-Campos McMaster University | Modelling stellar cluster populations alongside their host galaxies in a cosmic environment: the EMP-Pathfinder simulations |
| 12/1/21 | Gregory Green MPIA | Applications of auto-differentiation to dust, stars, dynamics |
| 11/24/21 | James Beattie ANU | Global properties of compressible MHD turbulence and going beyond two moment star formation rate theories |
| 11/17/21 | Maria José Maureira MPE | Physical conditions and dynamics of deeply embedded low-mass protostars at 10 au scales |
| 11/10/21 | Leire Beitia-Antero Complutense University of Madrid | The role of charged dust grains in shaping the evolution of molecular cloud envelopes |
| 11/3/21 | Ashley Barnes The Argelander-Institut für Astronomie (AIfA), University in Bonn | Under pressure: constraining the dominant pre-SNe feedback mechanisms for several thousand star-forming regions |
| 10/27/21 | Shivan Khullar University of Toronto, Canadian Institute for Astrophysics | Star formation thresholds and the density PDF |
| 10/20/21 | Noe Brucy CEA Saclay | Understanding the Schmidt-Kennicutt relation: the crucial role of large-scale turbulent driving |
| 10/13/21 | Kimberly Emig NRAO | From Star-formation to Recombinaton: Expanding our View of the RRL Universe |
| 10/6/21 | Sergio Martinez-Gonzales INAOEP | Destruction, Survival, and Growth of Dust Grains within Superbubbles |
| 9/15/21 | Kedron Silsbee MPE | Cosmic ray propagation and mall-scale turbulence in the dense ISM |
| 9/8/2021 | Max Gronke JHU | Best friends & mortal enemies: The impact of turbulence on multiphase gases |
| 5/5/21 | Archana Soam NASA Ames | Threads & flows in the dusty universe: Importance of astronomical polarimetry and spectroscopy in probing star forming regions |
| 4/28/21 | Jonathan Henshaw Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg | Everything Flows: The dynamics of the molecular interstellar medium |
| 4/21/21 | Enrico Di Teodoro Johns Hopkins University | Cold galactic outflows in the Milky Way- Magellanic system |
| 4/14/21 | Jaime Pineda Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching | Feeding a Protostar with 10,500 au Scale Streamers |
| 4/7/21 | No lecture | |
| 3/31/21 | Catherine Zucker Harvard University, Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics | Probing the Structure and Dynamics of our Local ISM on Parsec to Kiloparsec Scales |