University of Waterloo
This grant will support the analysis of data obtained in Cycle 05 (and GT06) with AstroSat, to study star formation in the Coma cluster of galaxies. AstroSat provides unique, high spatial resolution imaging in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. Because the dominant contribution to ultraviolet emission in galaxies is from high-mass, short-lived stars, this light traces recent star formation. AstroSat enables us, for the first time, to identify how this star formation is distributed throughout nearby galaxies and to distinguish star formation from other sources of ultraviolet emission. This project will allow Canadian scientists to make a transformative study of the Coma cluster, establishing whether or not the large scale environment influences the nature of star formation in galaxies, a longstanding problem in astrophysics.