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| Paper: |
Characterizing Gas Flows Through Observations of the Disk-Circumgalactic Medium Interface with the Habitable Worlds Observatory |
| Monograph: |
10, HWO25 Proceedings Part I: Community Science Case Development Documents |
| Page: |
233 |
| Authors: |
Sanchayeeta Borthakur; Joseph N. Burchett; Frances Cashma; Andrew J. Fox; Yong Zheng; David M. French; Rongmon Bordoloi; Brad Koplitz |
| DOI: |
10.26624/ZTBQ1389 |
| Abstract: |
How gas gets into, through, and out of galaxies is critical to understanding galactic ecosystems. The
disk-CGM interface region is uniquely suited for studying processes that drive gas flows. Matter and energy
that enter and leave a galaxy pass through this region; however, the precise pathways through which they do
so have yet to be explored. In this paper, we discuss future observations that will facilitate the discovery of
the gas flow pathways in galaxies and the telescope parameters necessary for making those observations. We
advocate for high spectral resolution ultraviolet spectroscopic capabilities on the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) that will enable observations at a wavelength range of 940–3500 Å (minimum range 970–3000
Å) and at a resolution of 100,000 (minimum of 50,000). We advocate for a multi-object spectrograph with
thousands of sub-arcsec slitlets and a field of view 6′×6′. We also recommend that the spectrograph be
sensitive enough to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of 10 or higher within a few hours for a continuum source
of 21 AB magnitude and estimate an optimal aperture size of 8 meters. These capabilities would enable the
characterization of gas in the disk-halo interface, leading to breakthroughs in our understanding of the gas
flows and galactic ecosystems.
This article is an adaptation of a science case document developed for HWO’s
IGM-CGM Working Group and Steering Committee, and the article that was published in the JATIS in June
2025 with the same title Borthakur et al. (2025). |
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