The Dynamic Circumgalactic Medium: Insights from IFS Observations

Abstract

The circumgalactic medium (CGM) is the outermost, gaseous envelope of a galaxy, spanning beyond the visible stellar disk and dominates the galalxy's baryonic mass. This expansive gas reservoir plays an influential role in cosmic structure formation, and records critical information about a galaxy’s past and ongoing interactions with the surrounding environment.  Leveraging the magnifying power of strong gravitational lensing and the exquisite sensitivity of the latest generation of integral-field spectrographs, I will present recent observational studies that provide empirical constraints on CGM dynamics across a wide range of redshifts between z≈0.5 and z≈4, including the steep velocity gradient of star-formation driven outflows and the subsonic turbulent energy cascade in active halos.

About the Speaker

Dr. Mandy CHEN is an observational astronomer specializing in the dynamics of the circumgalactic medium to unravel the complexities of baryon cycle and galaxy evolution. She is currently a Brinson Prize Postdoctoral Fellow with joint appointments at Caltech and Carnegie Observatories. Dr. Chen earned her PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics from The University of Chicago, and holds an MPhil in Astronomy and BSc in Physics from The University of Hong Kong.

About the Center for Fundamental Physics

For more information, please refer to https://cfp.hkust.edu.hk/.

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