Spitzer Space Telescope - Theoretical Research Proposal #20067


Interpreting the SPITZER View of Galaxy Formation and Evolution

Principal Investigator: Fabio  Governato
           Institution: University of Washington

Co-Investigators: 
Mauro Giavalisco, STSCi                                               
Julianne Dalcanton, University of Washington                          
Thomas Quinn, University of Washington                                
Beth Willman, NYU                                                     
Lucio Mayer, ETH, Zurich                                              
Octavio Valenzuela, Univ. of Washington                               

Science Category: high-z galaxies (z>0.5) 
Dollars Approved: 85000.0 

Abstract:
We request the equivalent of about 9 months of salary funding for the
PI to direct the comparison between the prediction of breakthrough
N-body simulations of galaxy formation with the detailed, panchromatic
observables of the internal structure of field galaxies provided by
GOODS, GLIMPSE and SINGS.  We will focus on (a) star formation rates
and histories (SFH) as a function of galaxy stellar mass and
morphology (b) the cosmic SFH at high redshift (c) the evolution of
galaxy sizes and disk surface brightness of spiral galaxies and
specifically of the progenitors of our own Milky Way and (d) the
evolution of disks and spheroids through dynamical instabilities and
the formation of the thick/thin disk components.  Our project carries
significant improvements over previous work:  -We resolve in a full
cosmological context the ISM and stellar structure of a small set of
galaxies down to giant star-forming regions with a sub-kpc spatial
resolution.  -We describe SN feedback and star formation with a
physically motivated model that reproduces the basic properties of z=0
galaxies.  -We will provide predictions directly comparable with
observed quantities obtained with Spitzer's instruments, including the
effects of dust reprocessing on the SED of galaxies.  -We sample
galaxy masses from giant spirals to dwarfs.  -We include in our team
observers strongly involved with some of the mentioned Spitzer's
surveys.  -We will update the freely available and widely used
software TIPSY (Theoretical Image Processing System) developed by
co-PI T.Quinn to produce images from simulations in the passbands of
Spitzer's instruments.  Delivery of results will happen between Summer
05 and Spring 06.  80% of the simulations have been completed to date
using 2.5e5 CPU hrs.