ASIAA Summer Students Program
ASIAA Summer Student Program 2024
July 1 - August 30

2024 Project Description

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Cosmic Architectures: Probing Early Galaxy Structures with the James Webb Space Telescope

Keywords:
Galaxy Formation
Galaxy Morphology
JWST
OIR Astronomy

Supervisors

Po-Feng Wu, Chian-Chou Chen (TC)
Find out more about supervisors on ASIAA website

Task Description and Goals

Decades of observational work show that galaxies exhibit a diverse array of shapes, their structures intricately linked to various physical parameters, reflecting their formation mechanisms and evolutionary histories. Understanding galaxy structure is pivotal in unraveling the mysteries of galaxy formation and evolution across cosmic epochs. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) offers unparalleled sensitivity and angular resolution, facilitating the study of early galaxies, which, despite their significance, remain elusive due to their immense distances and faintness.

In this project, we aim to leverage JWST data to investigate the sizes, shapes, and morphologies of a vast sample of galaxies within the first few billion years of the universe, particularly during the epoch of cosmic noon. Cosmic noon, a pivotal period in cosmic history characterized by intense star formation and galaxy assembly, offers a unique window into understanding the emergence of galaxy structures. Additionally, we will focus on massive galaxies, whose roles in shaping the cosmic landscape are substantial and interconnected with other massive galaxy populations at different epoches.

The student involved in this project will gain insights into scientific imaging techniques in astronomy and learn to employ computer programs for quantifying galaxy structures. By integrating our structural measurements with other physical properties of galaxies, we aim to elucidate the intricate interplay between galaxy structures and their formation processes during the early universe, shedding light on the cosmic saga of galaxy evolution.

Required Background

Basic knowledge of physics and mathematics.
Additional knowledge of cosmology and galaxies would be an asset.
Basic knowledge and skills of computer programing would be desirable.

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