PantaRhei: Gas flows in galaxies at Cosmic Noon

The formation and evolution of galaxies over cosmic time is driven by the continuous flow of gas in and out of systems, known as the ""baryon cycle."" Current theoretical models suggest that feedback from star formation (SF) and active galactic nuclei (AGN) leads to gas outflows, regulating SF activity and enriching galaxy metal content.

This ejective feedback is believed to be particularly powerful at z=1-2, during the peak of SF and AGN activity, known as Cosmic Noon. Yet, a comprehensive understanding of gas outflows at z=1-2 remains elusive.

The PantaRhei project hosted at SNS seeks to fully characterise the galaxy baryon cycle at Cosmic Noon using a unique approach: (i) build the largest, high-resolution (R>3000), optical-restframe spectroscopic sample to date by combining new data from Subaru/FMOS (with exclusive access) and public archival data from VLT/KMOS, totallin ~7600 galaxies at z=1-2; (ii) gather direct evidence of ionised gas outflows through the study of emission lines, employing stacking and modelling techniques that I have pioneered during the past years; (iii) explore archaeological evidence of multiphase gas outflows using the footprints left in the chemical enrichment of gas and stars; and (iv) build mock optical-restframe spectra from zoom-in simulations using the theoretical prescriptions developed in the Host Institute.

This approach will allow quantifying the impact of ionised gas outflows on the overall gas phase and determine whether these outflows are transient or enduring features in galaxy life cycles.

Comparing these observational findings with predictions from cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy formation will provide crucial constraints for refining numerical models of SF and AGN feedback.

This project promises to advance our understanding of galaxy formation and guide the planning of future surveys using instruments like JWST/NIRspec, VLT/MOONS, VISTA/4MOST, and ELT.