A Complete Understanding of Massive Galaxy Formation into the Epoch of Reionization
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Oxford Physics
Abstract
At the frontier of modern astronomy is the study of first galaxies, when the universe was less than 10% of its current age. It is within this era that the first atoms of 'heavy' elements (such as Carbon, Oxygen, Iron) were created by the first generations of stars, and when the seeds of supermassive black holes were being formed. Despite being extremely distant, it is vital to understand this primordial galaxies, as they are the building-blocks of all subsequent galaxy formation. Remarkably, using telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope, it has been possible to detect and study galaxies in this epoch. Despite these advances, one of the most fundamental measurements, the number of the brightest and most massive galaxies, is unknown in the early Universe.
In the coming years, new data-sets from both established ground-based telescopes, and several new space-missions will revolutionise the field, with the capability of detecting many thousands of such galaxies. My previous experience and innovative approach to analysing these new data, by combining information at a range of wavelengths, will provide a full understanding of these galaxies and reveal the detailed astrophysics of galaxy formation at this early time. The result will be the first constraints on when supermassive black-holes became active and on when significant enrichment occurred (leading to obscuration by cosmic dust). I will also determine the role of these galaxies in a crucial phase change in the history of the universe, the 'Epoch of Reionization', where the predominantly neutral Universe became ionised by the first stars and/or active black holes.
In the coming years, new data-sets from both established ground-based telescopes, and several new space-missions will revolutionise the field, with the capability of detecting many thousands of such galaxies. My previous experience and innovative approach to analysing these new data, by combining information at a range of wavelengths, will provide a full understanding of these galaxies and reveal the detailed astrophysics of galaxy formation at this early time. The result will be the first constraints on when supermassive black-holes became active and on when significant enrichment occurred (leading to obscuration by cosmic dust). I will also determine the role of these galaxies in a crucial phase change in the history of the universe, the 'Epoch of Reionization', where the predominantly neutral Universe became ionised by the first stars and/or active black holes.
Publications
Adams N
(2021)
Evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function: evidence for an increasing M * from z = 2 to the present day
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Adams N
(2023)
The total rest-frame UV luminosity function from 3 < z < 5: a simultaneous study of AGN and galaxies from -28 < M UV < -16
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Adams N. J.
(2022)
The total rest-frame UV luminosity function from $3 < z < 5$: A simultaneous study of AGN and galaxies from $-28<M_{\rm UV}<-16$
in arXiv e-prints
Bouwens R
(2022)
Reionization Era Bright Emission Line Survey: Selection and Characterization of Luminous Interstellar Medium Reservoirs in the z > 6.5 Universe
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bouwens R. J.
(2021)
Reionization Era Bright Emission Line Survey: Selection and Characterization of Luminous Interstellar Medium Reservoirs in the z>6.5 Universe
in arXiv e-prints
Bowler R
(2024)
The ALMA REBELS survey: obscured star formation in massive Lyman-break galaxies at z = 4-8 revealed by the IRX-ß and M ? relations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bowler R
(2022)
The discovery of rest-frame UV colour gradients and a diversity of dust morphologies in bright z ? 7 Lyman-break galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Title | Subaru and VISTA pixel matched imaging |
Description | The creation of images on the same pixel grid from the optical to the near-infrared. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | No current publications however this data provides the basis for future research on this project. |
Description | CRISTAL ALMA large program |
Organisation | European Southern Observatory (ESO) |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Working on data products. |
Collaborator Contribution | Data reduction. |
Impact | JWST proposal. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | REBELS ALMA large program |
Organisation | Leiden University |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am part of the core team of the REBELS collaboration. REBELS uses the ALMA observatory to determine the far-infrared emission from distant galaxies, which allows an estimate of the obscured star-formation. I have contributed to the selection of distant galaxies that were subsequently targeted in REBELS. I have worked with multiple collaborators as part of the team on their projects to understand galaxy formation and evolution. |
Collaborator Contribution | My partners led the REBELS team and work extensively on the data. |
Impact | Dayal, P., Ferrara, A., Sommovigo, L., Bouwens, R., Oesch, P. A., Smit, R., Gonzalez, V., Schouws, S., Stefanon, M., Kobayashi, C., Bremer, J., Algera, H. S. B., Aravena, M., Bowler, R. A. A., da Cunha, E., Fudamoto, Y., Graziani, L., Hodge, J., Inami, H., De Looze, I., Pallottini, A., Riechers, D., Schneider, R., Stark, D., & Endsley, R. (2022), MNRAS, Endsley, R., Stark, D. P., Bouwens, R. J., Schouws, S., Smit, R., Stefanon, M., Inami, H., Bowler, R. A. A., Oesch, P., Gonzalez, V., Aravena, M., da Cunha, E., Dayal, P., Ferrara, A., Graziani, L., Nanayakkara, T., Pallottini, A., Schneider, R., Sommovigo, L., Topping, M., van der Werf, P., & Hutter, A. (2022), arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2202.01219 Ferrara, A., Sommovigo, L., Dayal, P., Pallottini, A., Bouwens, R. J., Gonzalez, V., Inami, H., Smit, R., Bowler, R. A. A., Endsley, R., Oesch, P., Schouws, S., Stark, D., Stefanon, M., Aravena, M., da Cunha, E., De Looze, I., Fudamoto, Y., Graziani, L., Hodge, J., Riechers, D., Schneider, R., Algera, H. S. B., Barrufet, L., Hygate, A. P. S., Labbé, I., Li, C., Nanayakkara, T., Topping, M., & van der Werf, P. (2022), MNRAS Sommovigo, L., Ferrara, A., Pallottini, A., Dayal, P., Bouwens, R. J., Smit, R., da Cunha, E., De Looze, I., Bowler, R. A. A., Hodge, J., Inami, H., Oesch, P., Endsley, R., Gonzalez, V., Schouws, S., Stark, D., Stefanon, M., Aravena, M., Graziani, L., Riechers, D., Schneider, R., van der Werf, P., Algera, H., Barrufet, L., Fudamoto, Y., Hygate, A. P. S., Labbé, I., Li, Y., Nanayakkara, T., & Topping, M. (2022), MNRAS, |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Abingdon Astronomical Society talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I gave a talk to members of the astronomy society about cutting edge research and the new James Webb Telescope. There were many questions after the talk and I received good informal feedback from attendees. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Article in Quanta magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview for article. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.quantamagazine.org/astronomers-say-they-have-spotted-the-universes-first-stars-20230130/ |
Description | Lovell Lecture at the Jodrell Bank Observatory |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 200 members of the public attended a public engagement lecture, followed by questions from the audience and further discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk at BlueDot festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk to attendees of the BlueDot music and science festival, followed by questions and discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Talk at the Bristol Chaos Student society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | I gave a talk on my research to Bristol Chaos society members. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |