Reviewed by Danielle Ellis, B.Sc.Oct 1 2024
Scientists from George Mason University researched how Low Surface Brightness galaxies form. People know that galaxies exist in a wide range of sizes and luminosities. Low Surface Brightness galaxies are massive and dark galaxies relative to their mass, and they are of great interest. These galaxies are ubiquitous, accounting for almost half of the universe, and their origins, both in terms of luminosity and size, remain a mystery to astronomers.
This proposal will aid Munshi and her companions in understanding the enigmatic matter known as dark matter, which is responsible for the peculiar appearance of LSBs. Large-scale supercomputer simulations that can describe the universe from the Big Bang will be used as a tool in this research.
Munshi and her coworkers want to discover the formation channel(s) of LSB galaxies, explain their evolution, and comprehend their dark matter (DM) content and distribution in the context of Cold Dark Matter (CDM). Dark matter that travels at an extremely slow pace relative to light and does not interact with ordinary matter outside of gravity is known as CDM.
Using an existing simulation volume, the researchers will statistically study the formation of LSB galaxies as a function of their mass and environment. Afterward, they will run zoom-in simulations that can resolve the interplay between the visible matter (stars and gas) and the underlying invisible dark matter distribution to create their own LSB galaxies.
Lastly, they will modify the simulations using the Genetic Modification Technique (GM) and investigate how even minor adjustments to the simulation's starting conditions could affect how the LSB appears. This work has the potential to restrict the nature of dark matter and answer the enigma surrounding the production of LSBs.
Additionally, by providing funding for professional instruction and STEM speakers to be invited to speak at events on campus, this proposal will assist George Mason's Women Leaders in STEM (WLIS). This will help the WLIS continue its mission of assisting undergraduate students in the STEM fields by offering resources for future employment, study skills, professional development, and networking techniques.
The National Science Foundation awarded $322,295 to Munshi for this project.