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Astronomy and Space Physics

Piyush Sharda (Leiden University): Using metals to trace multi-scale structure formation in galaxies

Europe/Stockholm
90101 (Ångströmlaboratoriet)

90101

Ångströmlaboratoriet

Description

Title: Using metals to trace multi-scale structure formation in galaxies
Speaker: Piyush Sharda
Affiliation: Leiden University
Time: Thursday 8 December 2022, 1400 to 1500
Location: 90101Å

Abstract:

From the time the first stars formed to the present-day, metals have witnessed the assembly of structure in the Universe in great detail. Although metals only form in stars and stellar remnants, they are ubiquitously present everywhere -- from planetary cores to the intergalactic medium. However, we still do not understand how metals are effectively dispersed throughout the Universe, and the various roles they play in shaping galaxies. In this talk, I will present a multi scale approach to study the role of metals in galaxy evolution, from molecular clouds to galactic discs. On smaller scales, I will focus on physical processes that shape up the initial mass function (IMF, with a particular emphasis on metal-free and metal-poor environments) that directly set the integrated yield of metals in the first and early galaxies. On larger scales, I will cover the physics of gas-phase metal distribution in galaxies. Using a combination of spatially-resolved gas-phase metallicity measurements and novel semi-analytical models, I will present recent results that advance our understanding of metallicity gradients in galaxies. I will end by highlighting how ongoing/upcoming astronomical facilities will transform our understanding of metal evolution in galaxies.