UNC-CH Physics and Astronomy Colloquium

Virginia Kilborn, Swinburne University

“Tracing the gaseous surrounds of galaxies”

Observations of the neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) component of galaxies is a powerful mechanism to probe the physical properties of galaxies in the nearby Universe. HI is generally found in star-forming, disk galaxies whilst early-type galaxies are generally gas-poor. However recent surveys have uncovered disk galaxies with little HI — and conversely early-type galaxies which are gas-rich. I will discuss the physical mechanisms driving gas content in galaxies, including mass, environment and kinematics. We are heading into a new era of next-generation radio telescopes which will revolutionise our understanding of the HI component of galaxies. I’ll explain how these surveys plan to operate, and show some recent results from one particular telescope, the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP).