Two Subaru Telescope Customers Awarded 2023 MEKST Commendations for Science and Technologies | Subjects and announcements

Two up-and-coming astronomers have received the 2023 Science and Technologies Commendation Young Scientists Award from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technologies (MEKST) for their observational analysis applying the Subaru Telescope. The winners of the awards are Dr. Hideki Umehata (assistant professor at Nagoya University) and Dr. Yuichi Harikane (assistant professor at Tokyo University).

The Young Scientist Award is offered to researchers beneath the age of 40 (or 42 if the researcher was unable to devote himself to analysis for a particular period of time due to childbirth or kid care) who have accomplished outstanding analysis achievements. Dr. Umehata was recognized for his “exploration of the cosmic net filaments connecting active protocluster galaxies,” whilst Dr. Harikane was awarded for his “exploration of distant galaxies applying big observational information sets from the Subaru Telescope and other telescopes.”

Dr. Umehata performed observations applying the Subaru Telescope and the Atacama Massive Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to investigate the formation and evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes at the nodes of the big-scale structure of the Universe 11.five billion years ago. In distinct, applying the Suprime-Cam wide-field camera on the Subaru Telescope, he found the substantial structure of hydrogen gas connecting huge galaxies and supermassive black holes, confirming the existence of filaments of a “cosmic net” lengthy predicted by theory and simulations (Note 1). These outcomes recommend that the provide of gas by means of the cosmic net plays a important function in fueling the higher activity of huge galaxies and supermassive black holes in the early Universe.

Figure 1: Dr. Hideki Umehata (Assistant Professor, Nagoya University), who received the Young Scientist Award. (Credit: Nagoya University)

“I am delighted and honored to obtain such a superb award,” says Dr. Umehata. “I would like to take this chance to express my gratitude to everybody involved in this analysis, like my fellow collaborators.” In this study, the information obtained by Suprime-Cam played a considerable function in the discovery of the cosmic net. Now, applying its successor, Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC), we are investigating bigger structures in the cosmic net. With the upcoming launch of the PFS (Prime Concentrate Spectrograph) and taking benefit of the Subaru Telescope, I aspire to continue sophisticated research of the early Universe.”

Dr. Harikane focused on observational research of distant galaxies and led the evaluation of big observational datasets from the Subaru Telescope to construct the world’s biggest sample of distant galaxies, consisting of four million objects, in the Universe ten to 13 billion years ago, which has not previously been detailed. studied. It also answered a lengthy-standing query about the physical origins of the star formation history all through the Universe and identified a primordial cluster of galaxies 13 billion years ago, the most distant recognized at that time (Note two). When he produced numerous significant discoveries, he led the field of observing distant galaxies. He has also led teams of international researchers and won several awards for observations on competing telescopes such as NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Very first Year Operations System and ALMA.

Figure two: Dr. Yuichi Harikane (Assistant Professor at the University of Tokyo), who received the Young Scientist Award. (Credit: Institute for Cosmic Ray Analysis, University of Tokyo)

Upon getting the award, Dr. Harikane says: “I am honored to obtain such a prestigious award this time. Analysis applying Һiper Suprime-Cam (ҺSC) on the Subaru telescope, which was recognized by the award, could not be realized. devoid of the help of researchers at NAOJ, who contributed to the improvement and operation of ҺSC and the Subaru telescope. I would like to express my gratitude to all my collaborators and all these involved in Subaru telescope and ҺSC. I appear forward to additional establishing our analysis with PFS. I hope to have enjoyable top cutting-edge analysis projects.”

Dr. Harikane comments on the Subaru Telescope’s function in their study of the early universe: “The Subaru Telescope is equipped with exceptional wide-field cameras not identified on other eight-meter-class telescopes. Thanks to their wide field, Umehata and I had been in a position to construct an incredibly big sample of galaxies, uncover a uncommon primitive cluster of galaxies, and discover the cosmic net in the early Universe. From such observations, we found that the partnership amongst galaxies and gas in the big-scale structure of the Universe played an significant function in the formation and evolution of galaxies. Hunting ahead, we have higher expectations that observations with the upcoming PFS, as properly as with the subsequent-generation 30m Telescope, will reveal the physical properties of person galaxies and shed light on galaxy formation in the early Universe.”

(Note 1) Enormous filaments fuel the development of galaxies and supermassive black holes (Subaru Telescope on October three, 2019)

(Note two) The oldest galactic protocol types the “Queen’s Court” (Subaru Telescope Press Release September 26, 2019)