Project Grant 2408820

This $460,851 Project Grant awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Astronomical Sciences under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) supports a research project titled "MAUNA: MULTIPHASE ANALYSIS OF (U)LIRG NUCLEAR ACTIVITY". The project aims to analyze new observations of merging galaxies to trace the movement of gas as it traverses the galactic ecosystem, enabling a detailed understanding of this dynamic process. Leveraging new Keck and JWST integral-field spectroscopic observations, the investigators will study the hot ionized and warm molecular gas for a representative sample of galaxy mergers to establish the intricate nature of gas fueling and feedback and its role in galaxy evolution. The project also includes plans to augment the observational astronomy workshop at Lick Observatory through increased graduate student participation and the addition of a new science communication module. This award, which runs from Aug 1, 2024 to Jul 31, 2027, reflects NSF's mission to promote the progress of scientific knowledge and address national research priorities in the mathematical and physical sciences.