Research Interests
My research interests revolve around star formation in extragalactic environments. I want to understand the impact on future star formation due to associated versus embedded star formation on scales ranging from individual resolved clumps to giant molecular clouds to clouds across an entire galaxy. I am particularly interested in the molecular gas of the interstellar medium (ISM), which is the gas from which the stars form. I primarily study these effects in extreme (low metallicity, low mass) environments where the conditions most likely resemble the early universe star formation.
Lauren Bittle
Ph.D., Astronomy
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Email:
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Address:
Department of Astronomy
University of Virginia
530 McCormick Rd., Room 222
Charlottesville, VA 22904
434-924-7935
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National Radio Astronomy Observatory
520 Edgemont Road, Room 206
Charlottesville, VA 22903
434-296-0362
EDUCATION
CV
2013-2 0 1 8
Ph.D, Astronomy
University of Virginia
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Kelsey Johnson
NRAO Advisor: Prof. Remy Indebetouw
NRAO Grote Reber Fellow
Raven Society Fellow
University of Virginia
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Kelsey Johnson
2013-2015
M.S., Astronomy
2009-2013
B.S., Astronomy & Physics
High Honors in Astronomy
University of Maryland, College Park
Honors Thesis Advisor: Prof. Lee Mundy
Honors Thesis Title:
University Honors College, Honors Certificate
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
IC 10
University of Virginia
Study of molecular cloud properties across the main body of a low-metallicity dwarf irregular galaxy, IC 10, the only starbursting system within ~1 Mpc. Using a multi-line CO dataset, I want to determine the physical conditions (e.g. temperature, density, optical depth) of the molecular content of each cloud via non-LTE modeling with Radex (van der Tak et al. 2007). Then, utilizing a multiwavelength dataset, I can place the molecular gas in context of the complex interstellar medium (ISM) to best understand the phase balance and star formation within this extreme galaxy.
30 Doradus (LMC)
University of Virginia/NRAO
Our nearest neighbor in space, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is home to a Super Star Cluster (SSC) that has several thousand high-mass stars irradiating a nearby molecular cloud (30Dor-10). I am using ALMA Band 3 maps of HCN, H13CN, HCO+, H13CO+, and CS dense gas tracers along with the diffuse CO to understand the impact of the strong radiation field presented by the associated SSC on the resolved dense molecular clumps within the more diffuse molecular cloud and disentangle the feedback processes from associated versus embedded star formation in the clumps.
CO in LEGUS Spiral Galaxies
University of Virginia
We have mapped the CO molecular gas with ALMA across two spirals within the LEGUS sample: a grand design spiral, NGC 1313, and a flocculent spiral, NGC 7793. With these two differing galaxy environments, we are well equipped to test the impact of differing spiral structures on the molecular clouds, and thus the star formation, within these galaxies. Utilizing the high-resolution data, we can now identify ~20 pc-sized molecular clouds across the galaxy and compare the cloud mass function to the cluster mass function (as measured by the LEGUS team) to understand the link between cluster formation and cloud populations.
YSOs in Persues Molecular Cloud
University of Maryland
Observations were taken of the Perseus Molecular Cloud, which lies with our Galaxy. With my near- to mid-infrared (IR) bandmerged catalog, I identified and classified~700 young stellar objects (YSOs) within the molecular cloud to better understand how and where stars form and what happens after birth within a cluster.
COLLABORATIONS
SKILLS
Languages & Packages
Python
IDL
CASA
Unix/Linux
CLASS
Radex
Trained Observer
GBT (WV)
ARO SMT (AZ)
APO (NM)
OUTREACH
Dark Skies, Bright Kids (DSBK)
I am an active volunteer with DSBK, an outreach group that brings science to underserved populations throughout the state of Virginia. We host after school programs and summer camps that focus on astronomy topics ranging from stars, to satellites, to astrobiology. We also host an annual star party that attracts hundreds of people. In general, I am very interested in non-traditional teaching, on which DSBK was founded and thrives!
Observatory Open Houses
I frequently help run departmental open houses at UVA's observing facilities. I have run telescopes, conducted tours of the facilities, as well as given short research talks to the public at these events. I also enjoy telling constellation stories while doing constellation tours.
