Characterizing Galaxies in the Early Universe
Abstract
The origin of galaxies is a fundamental research area in modern astronomy. Astronomers are now capable of surveying the stellar and gaseous content of galaxies from the first billion years after the Big Bang until the present day. The most pressing research questions in this field are: What role do galaxies play in reionizing the Universe? What are the key processes that galaxies undergo during their lifetimes, and how do these processes affect galaxy properties and scaling relations? The conditions under which galaxies evolve vary with cosmic time and environment. Analyzing photometric and spectroscopic observations of galaxies at early epochs and over a full range of local galaxy density is thus essential to paint a complete picture of galaxy evolution. This White Paper outlines the prospects for Canadian astronomers to unlock discoveries in this subject with upcoming facilities. Canada is well-positioned to tackle these outstanding science questions given the synergy between our rich telescope access and our broad expertise across the electromagnetic spectrum. As the field moves toward spatially resolved studies of distant galaxies and their environments, Canada has unique opportunities to make significant contributions in this area. In particular, we emphasize that remaining a partner in the TMT project, Euclid, JWST and Gemini are essential components of the future of distant galaxy studies in Canada.
- Publication:
-
Canadian Long Range Plan for Astronomy and Astrophysics White Papers
- Pub Date:
- October 2019
- DOI:
- 10.5281/zenodo.3827548
- Bibcode:
- 2019clrp.2020...59M
- Keywords:
-
- astrophysics;
- Zenodo community lrp202020-05-15