Closing the Loop: Using Synthetic Observations of Simulated Star-forming Regions to Test Observational Properties

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Christine Greif geb Koepferl
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 426714422

In Astronomy researchers rely on the physical properties extracted from observed regions of the universe and theoretical simulations of more or less comparable simulated regions. From the insights of the analysis of observations and simulations alike, a theoretical understanding of how these objects form and evolve is built up. As in other areas in the research field of star formation we rely on the certain star-formation properties extracted from the observations of observed star-forming regions. The techniques, which are used to extract these properties, have seldom been tested. With the means of new techniques it is now possible to "observe" simulations in a realistic way and treat them the same as if observed with real telescopes. This enables us to close the loop between simulations and observations as we can now test, using the "observed" simulations, techniques commonly used by observers, and see if they are able to return the known properties of the simulations. In this proposed project I plan to test techniques, which are commonly used to study either the structure of star-forming regions, young/forming stars or the "birth rate" of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy and distant galaxies. I plan to constrain the accuracy of these techniques, which use gas and dust tracers, and determine when these techniques turn out to be substantially unreliable or biased, which would indicate that many results in Galactic and extra-galactic star formation may need to be revisited. Through the presentation of the project at specific workshops on synthetic observations and the connection to PR activities such as citizen science the results will be made available to a large audience. Further, in this proposed project I plan to develop more tools which can help other researchers produce their own "observed" simulations, for the benefit of the community.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants