The Physical Conditions of the ISM in High-Redshift Galaxies

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Frank Bertoldi; Dr. Fabian Walter
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2011 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 203261968

The physical conditions of the interstellar medium (ISM) in high-redshift galaxies appear to be very different from that found in present-day galaxies. Our SPP project has contributed much to begin quantify this difference. This continuation proposal seeks support to utilize the exciting future observational prospects to study the dense ISM in galaxies at the cosmic epoch with the richest gas content, an ISM from which most stars and heavy elements found in today's universe were formed. Through radio to FIR spectroscopy and imaging we will investigate the structure, evolution, and physics of the ISM throughout cosmic time, and follow how it relates to the processes that shape galaxies and govern the formation of stars. Specifically we will push high-density molecular gas tracers such as H2O and OH, and atomic fine structure line emission as a very powerful diagnostic to quantify the physics of the high-z ISM. We will continue to lead the unbiased characterization of the high-z ISM through molecular deep fields, which we have spearheaded in the first funding period. Continued funding is requested for an experienced postdoc each at Bonn and Heidelberg, which has proven to be instrumental for our success in the first funding period. Our program addresses central goals of the ISM-SPP and allows the focused continuation of a successful collaboration that led to more than 50 joint publications in the past decade.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1573: Physics of the Interstellar Medium
• International Connection: Chile, France, USA
• Participating Persons: Dr. Christopher Carilli; Dr. Pierre Cox; Dr. Alain Omont; Professor Dr. Dominik Riechers