Education:
MSc Astrophysics, LMU Munich
BSc Physics, New York University Abu Dhabi
Research Interests: Galaxy Formation and Evolution, Dark Matter, Small-scale Structure Formation, Cosmological Simulations
I study the formation and evolution of galaxies and galaxy clusters using a combination of cosmological simulations and observational data. My work spans multiple scales, from individual stars in nearby galaxies to galaxy clusters in the Local Universe.
Sneak-Peek into what I've been working on (see more in 'Research'):
* Intra-cluster Light (ICL) as a tool to adjudicate a Galaxy Cluster's Dynamical Activity
* Massive stars in a Local Group Dwarf Galaxy, and their impact on the Interstellar Medium (ISM) and subsequent star formation
* Fuzzy Dark Matter (FDM) and Dwarf Galaxies; impact of FDM on small-scale structure formation
Research Collaborations
I currently collaborate with the DRAGONS group at the University Observatory Munich (USM) on zoom-in simulations of Local Universe galaxy clusters. Previously, I worked with the Galaxy Formation Group (GFG) at NYU Abu Dhabi under Dr. Andrea Valerio Macciò and Dr. Matteo Nori on Fuzzy-Gasoline simulations, and with Dr. Joseph Gelfand at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Science (CASS) on observational studies of stellar populations in IC 10.
Research
Intracluster Light in Galaxy Clusters
As a member of the DRAGONS group at the University Observatory Munich, I am actively investigating intracluster light (ICL) to probe galaxy cluster dynamics, preparing for next-generation surveys like LSST and Euclid. My work focuses on generating mock broadband images from the Magneticum Box2b/hr simulation to uncover broad evolutionary trends across a range of cluster masses, as well as from high-resolution zoom-in simulations of the Simulating the LOcal Web (SLOW) project (arXiv:2302.10960), targeting Local Universe clusters like Coma and Virgo to study their unique assembly histories. By applying masking techniques to remove satellite galaxy contributions, we aim to derive key features, including surface brightness profiles and the light fraction of the brightest cluster galaxy plus ICL (fBCG+ICL), which correlates with the cluster’s formation redshift (zform). These features illuminate how dynamical processes sculpt ICL, revealing signatures of hierarchical growth in low-surface-brightness regimes. Additionally, I am analyzing 3D mass-accretion histories (MAHs) from the simulations to understand the long-term accretion processes driving ICL formation.
Variable Sources in IC 10
In collaboration with Dr. Joseph Gelfand at NYU Abu Dhabi, I am exploring massive stars in IC 10, a starburst dwarf galaxy in the Local Group, using Swift UV and X-ray observations. IC 10 hosts Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), and high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) such as IC 10 X-1 and X-2. Leveraging five years of weekly Swift UVOT U-band data, I am compiling a catalog of variable sources to assess their influence on the interstellar medium (ISM) and star formation. The UV data reveal dust formation in WR winds, giant eruptions from LBVs, and accretion variability in HMXBs, shedding light on how these massive stars inject energy and material into the ISM. Complementary multi-wavelength observations from the Las Cumbres Observatory and Zwicky Transient Facility (ApJS 268 43) enhance our understanding of massive star feedback in IC 10’s dynamic starburst environment.
Fuzzy-Gasoline Simulations
Surface Density and RGB maps of a Fuzzy-Gasoline system with total halo mass:
Mhalo ~ 2 × 1010 \( M_{\odot} \).
As part of the Galaxy Formation Group at NYU Abu Dhabi, I contributed to the FUZZY-GASOLINE project, analyzing 18 high-resolution zoom-in simulations. These simulations covered three dwarf galaxy systems, each modeled with three dark matter settings (two Fuzzy Dark Matter (FDM) particle masses and one Cold Dark Matter (CDM) from the NIHAO project) and two configurations (dark-matter-only and dark matter with baryons, including hydrodynamics). Using the FUZZY-GASOLINE code, a modified GASOLINE2 framework, the simulations incorporated the Madelung formulation of FDM and baryonic processes such as metal cooling, star formation, supernova feedback, and black hole physics. Spanning redshifts from z = 99 to z = 0, our results showed that FDM produces cored dark matter profiles in all haloes, especially in low-mass systems at high redshift, while baryonic feedback drives core formation in specific mass ranges at low redshift. Stellar observables, including star formation histories and velocity dispersions, showed minimal differences between FDM and CDM, making it challenging to distinguish them using stellar data alone. Our findings were published on arXiv in November 2024 (arXiv:2411.09733). View FUZZY-GASOLINE movies of the M system’s gas, stars, and dark matter evolution here.
Fuzzy-HELLO Project
Since graduating in Spring 2024, I have been leading the Fuzzy-HELLO project, an extension of the FUZZY-GASOLINE simulations inspired by the HELLO suite and built upon the NIHAO simulation framework. This project focuses on high-redshift (z ~ 3) simulations with enhanced physics, including local photoionization feedback, black hole feedback, and updated chemical enrichment modules. By leveraging higher resolutions and the stronger FDM Quantum Potential at early times, we aim to probe FDM's impact on dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies. The weaker baryonic feedback at high redshift amplifies FDM-driven core-cusp differences, which we expect to manifest in observable properties like star formation histories. This work builds on my experience developing analysis pipelines and running simulations on the Jubail HPC Linux cluster at NYU Abu Dhabi.
M. Nori, S. Bhatia, A.V. Macciò, Fuzzy-Gasoline: Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of dwarf galaxy formation with Fuzzy Dark Matter, under review in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (arXiv:2411.09733).
Pending Academic Tasks
Research on Grad School Masters/PhD Programs + Fellowships
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i = 0;
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print 'Iteration ' + i;
deck.shuffle();
i++;
}
print 'It took ' + i + ' iterations to sort the deck.';
