Astro Seminar
Atomic gas as a dynamical mass tracer in dwarf galaxies
Speaker: Kyle Oman (Durham University)
Date: Wednesday 29 November 2023
Time: 14:00
Venue: N3.28/Zoom
The orbital speed of atomic gas is in principle a straightforward tracer of the total mass enclosed within its orbit. However, non-gravitational forces such as supernova-driven winds and non-equilibrium dynamics can make the interpretation of atomic gas rotation curves more challenging. This is especially true in easily-perturbed dwarf galaxies, but the high dark-to-total mass ratios of these objects make them appealing test beds for cold dark matter and alternative scenarios. In this talk I will discuss how cosmological hydrodynamical galaxy formation simulations can help address some of the challenges to understanding the dark matter content and structure of dwarf galaxies through their atomic gas kinematics.