Background
Located in the central molecular zone, a region that surrounds the very center of our galaxy (Imaged to the right) and houses the highest density of star formation activtiy in our galaxy, lies the molecular cloud Sagittarius B2 (SgrB2). Molecular clouds compose a major role in star formation and other early celestial activity, yet there exists various inconsistencies in how they operate, particulary the low star formation rates and density within our galaxy's central region. SgrB2 is a unique represent of our central galaxy due to it being the most active star forming site between the other inhabitting molecular clouds, containing nearly a half of total activity within the zone. (Ginsburg et al., 2018).
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Compact analysis of SgrB2 has already shown a various phenonmem and a possible age difference between its upper and Deep South region. With a higher resolution look into SgrB2 now available in the North and Main areas of its site, conducting a higher resolution analysis of its South and Deep South area will provide a completely revamped perspective on the cloud and its activity. Aside from the aforementioned benefits toward a better understanding of the central moleuclar zone's properties, lies a chance that SgrB2 could act as a framework toward analysis of other galatic centers, revealing the patterns beyond star formation.
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Inquiry Into The Younger Area of Sagittarius B2 – Deep South Region
PI: Dr. Adam Ginsburg
University of Florida,
Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Fall 2024 - Present (1 Year)​
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My project goal is to finalize the renanalysis of SgrB2 through high resolution data on the cloud's deep south region. Over the course of my year participation within this project, I have been tasked with cataloging the higher resolution sources, and extracting a list of their physical attributes and subsequent implications.
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Currently I have analyized sources residing within the cloud for their mass, size, and flux properties. This includes plotting the masses at different dust temperatures, finding the difference in the amount of sources between higher and lower resolution imaging, and how the dispersion of that flux in higher resolution data. Nearing the final steps to a comparitive analysis of the North and Main region of SgrB2 has shown me an array of radio astronomy techniuqes and information about our intergalatic environemnt. After additional spectral analysis that I have learned during my time abroad, I hope to share my findings of SgrB2 and push for continued analysis of the fringe regions of this and similar celestial structures.
Fall 2024
Initalized Images of SgrB2 in imaging software. Cataloged over 500 Sources through by-eye Inspection and retrieved the physical attributes, e.g. mass, flux, fragmentation of catalog.
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Spring 2025
Analyzed the stellar and source masses, the optical depth of the surrounding gas. Compared the DS qualities with similar high resolution data of the North and Main regions of the cloud.
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Summer 2025
Began writing my paper before going to Newcastle University. I analyzed the galaxy Markarian 348 creating a position velocity map of its central region, learning spectral fitting. ​
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Fall 2025
​To Be Continued!