Galaxy Formation, Intergalactic Medium, Active Galactic Nuclei, Galaxy-Black Hole Coevolution, Galaxy Clusters, Early Universe
Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/MSSL/R.Soria et al, Optical: AURA/Gemini OBs
The most obvious large structures in the Universe are the galaxies, which over the span of cosmic time have been the nexus for both the evolution of stars and large-scale structure in the Universe. CIERA researchers are engaged in understanding both the evolution of the galaxies and the environments they are embedded in, as well as the stellar populations they are comprised of and the supermassive black holes they host.
Research at CIERA
CIERA researchers work on understanding the origins of structure in the Universe. Professor Faucher-Giguère’s group develops sophisticated cosmological hydrodynamic simulations of galaxy formation. The simulations are used to answer a wide variety of science questions, including how star formation is regulated in galaxies, how galaxies interact with the circum-galactic medium and the intergalactic medium, and how galaxies and their black holes co-evolve.
News
Gallery
Shane Larson at TEDxGVSU, “Feeling Small in a Big Cosmos”
Shane Larson at TEDxGVSU, “Feeling Small in a Big Cosmos”
The Universe is vast beyond anything humans can easily comprehend, and it is easy to become overwhelmed by the immensity, disheartened by how insignificant we seem. But in the vastness there is a glimmer of truth that we should hold onto and use to guide us: in all the vastness we are, so far as
TEDxGVSU
- Education,
- Event
CIERA’s 11th Annual Public Lecture, “Cartography of the Cosmos: Mapping the Unseen”
CIERA’s 11th Annual Public Lecture, “Cartography of the Cosmos: Mapping the Unseen”
This lecture was presented by award-winning author and Yale professor Dr. Priyamvada Natarajan at Cahn Auditorium on October 24, 2019. Natarajan discussed how mapping over time encodes radical new scientific ideas. She walked through the history of the acceptance of new astronomical ideas, and talked about the status of several current transformative (and deeply contested)
- Event,
- Interdisciplinary
Rho Oph dark cloud observed with HAWC+
Rho Oph dark cloud observed with HAWC+
Left: NASA Spitzer image showing the portion of the Rho Oph dark cloud observed with HAWC+ instrument….
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvard-Smithsonian CfA. SOFIA/ HAWC+/ Northwestern University /F. Pereira Santos
- Science
Giant balloon-like structures discovered at center of Milky Way
Giant balloon-like structures discovered at center of Milky Way
An international team of astronomers, including Northwestern University’s Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, has discovered one of the largest structures ever observed in the Milky Way. A newly spotted pair of radio-emitting bubbles reach hundreds of light-years tall, dwarfing all other structures in the central region of the galaxy.
- Science
Kavli Fulldome Lecture Series: The Cosmos in a Heartbeat
Kavli Fulldome Lecture Series: The Cosmos in a Heartbeat
The length of a human life barely registers on the scale of cosmic time. In spite of our relatively tiny size and our limited time here on Earth, a single generation of humans can take giant leaps forward in our understanding of the Universe. Join us to find out how dramatically our story of the
The Kavli Foundation / Adler Planetarium
Exploring the Invisible Universe with Computer Simulations
Exploring the Invisible Universe with Computer Simulations
Northwestern Physics and Astronomy student Alex Gurvich presents a talk as part of the Northwestern Ready Set Go (RSG) program. The goals of the program are to increase awareness for the urgent need for excellent research communicators and to coach graduate and post doctoral researchers to improve their own presentation skills. The program focuses on three important
Northwestern's RSG Program
People
Core Astronomy Faculty
Faculty
Kari Frank
Director of Operations of CIERA, Research Assistant Professor
Postdocs
Graduate Students
