JWST Science

• 4-chart version follows

End of the dark ages: first light and reionization
• What are the first galaxies?
• When did reionization occur?
– Once or twice?
• What sources caused reionization?

Redshift
Neutral IGM
z~zi z>zi .
z<zi

• Ultra-Deep NIR survey (1.4

nJy), spectroscopic & Mid-IR
confirmation.
Wavelength Wavelength Wavelength • QSO spectra: Ly-α forest
Lyman Forest  Patchy  Black Gunn­ • Galaxy spectra: Balmer lines
Absorption Absorption Peterson trough
(2x10-19 ergs/cm2/sec)
 The assembly of galaxies
• Where and when did the Hubble
Sequence form?
• How did the heavy elements form?
• Can we test hierarchical formation
and global scaling relations?
• What about ULIRGs and AGN?
Galaxies in GOODS Field

• Wide-area imaging survey

• R=1000 spectra of 1000s of
galaxies at 1 < z < 6
• Targeted observations of ULIRGs
and AGN
 Birth of stars and protoplanetary systems
• How do clouds collapse?
• How does environment affect
star-formation?
– Vice-versa?
• What is the low-mass IMF?

Deeply embedded protostar Circumstellar disk

The Eagle Nebula

as seen
as seen
in the
by HST
infrared

• Imaging of molecular clouds

• Survey “elephant trunks”
• Survey star-forming clusters
Agglomeration & planetesimals Mature planetary system
 Planetary systems and the origins of life
• How do planets form?
• How are circumstellar disks
like our Solar System?
• How are habitable zones
established? Spitzer image

Malfait et al 1998

• Extra-solar giant planets

– Coronagraphy
• Spectra of circumstellar disks, comets
and KBOs
• Spectra of icy bodies in outer Solar Simulated JWST image
Fomalhaut at 24
System microns

Titan
 JWST Science
• 2-chart version follows
End of the dark ages: first light
and reionization
• What are the first galaxies?
• When did reionization occur?

Redshift
Neutral IGM Galaxies in GOODS Field

z~zi z>zi .
z<zi The assembly of
galaxies
• Where and when did the
Hubble Sequence form?
Wavelength Wavelength Wavelength
• How did the heavy
Lyman Forest  Patchy  Black Gunn­
Absorption Absorption Peterson trough elements form?
Simulated JWST spectra showing the epoch of reionization
 Birth of stars and
protoplanetary systems
• How do clouds collapse?
• How does environment affect
star formation?
Deeply embedded protostar
Agglomeration & planetesimals
Shu et al theory of planetary system formation
Spitzer image Simulated JWST image
Fomalhaut dust disk at 24 microns
Circumstellar disk
Planetary systems and
the origins of life
• How do planets form?
• How are circumstellar disks
like our Solar System?
Mature planetary system
 JWST Science
• 1-chart version follows
 JWST Science
• End of the dark ages: first
light and reionization
• The assembly of galaxies

The Eagle Nebula

as seen
as seen
in the
by HST
infrared

• Birth of stars and

protoplanetary systems
• Planetary systems and the
Galaxies in the UDF
origins of life
 JWST Science
• 13-chart detailed version follows
 End of the dark ages:
first light and reionization

… to identify the first luminous sources to

form and to determine the ionization history of
the early universe.

Hubble Ultra Deep Field

What are the first
galaxies?
• The first galaxies
are small and faint
• Their light is
redshifted into
infrared.
Zoom in to Hubble Ultra Deep Field
• They are made of
low-metallicity, • Observations:
massive stars. – Ultra-deep NIR field
– SNe! GRBs! – Follow-up Spect, MIR
– Timing for transients
When and how
did reionization
occur?
• Reionization happened
at z>6
• WMAP says maybe
twice?
• Probably galaxies,
maybe quasar
contribution

• Observations:
– Spectra of the most
distant quasars
– Spectra of faint galaxies
The assembly of galaxies

… to determine how galaxies and the dark matter, gas,

stars, metals, morphological structures, and active nuclei
within them evolved from the epoch of reionization to the
present day.
M81 by Spitzer
 Where and when did the Hubble Sequence form?
How did the heavy elements form?

• Galaxy assembly is a process

of hierarchical merging
• Components of galaxies have
variety of ages & compositions
• Observations:
– NIRCam imaging
– Spectra of 1000s of galaxies
 What are the physical processes that determine
galaxy properties?
What about starbursts and black holes?

• Observations:
– MIR spectroscopy
– Velocity dispersion
– MIR emission lines

• Global scaling relations between luminosity, size,

kinematics and metallicity.
• Tight correlation between mass of central black holes
and surrounding galaxy
HST + radio image of active galaxy
 Birth of stars and protoplanetary systems

… to unravel the birth and early evolution of

stars, from infall on to dust-enshrouded
protostars, to the genesis of planetary systems.
David Hardy
How do proto-stellar clouds collapse?
• Stars form in small regions
collapsing gravitationally
within larger molecular
clouds.
• We can see through thick,
dusty clouds in the infrared.
• Protostars begin to shine
within the clouds, revealing
temperature and density
structure.
• Observations: Barnard 68 in infrared
visible light
– Deep NIR and MIR imaging of
dark clouds and proto-stars
 How does environment affect star-formation and
vice-versa?
What is the sub-stellar initial mass function?
• Massive stars produce winds
and radiation
– Either disrupt star formation, or
causes it.
• The boundary between the
smallest brown dwarf stars
and planets is unknown
– Different processes? Or
continuum?
• Observations:
– Survey dark clouds, “elephant The Eagle Nebula
trunks” and star-forming regions as seen
as seen
in the
by HST
infrared
Planetary systems and the origins of life

… to determine the physical and chemical

properties of planetary systems including our
own, and to investigate the potential for the
origins of life in those systems.
Robert Hurt
 How do planets form?
• Giant planets
could be signpost
of process that
creates Earth-like
planets
• Solar System
primordial disk is
now in small
planets, moons,
asteroids and
comets

• Observations:
– Coronagraphy of exosolar planets
– Compare spectra of comets and circumstellar disks
How are circumstellar disks like our Solar System?

Here is an
illustration of
what MIRI might
find within the
very young core
in Ophiuchus,
VLA 1623

artist’s concept of
protostellar disk
from T. Greene,
Am. Scientist

approximate field for NIRSpec & MIRI

integral field spectroscopy
 How are habitable zones established?
• Source of Earth’s H20 and
organics is not determined
– Comets? Asteroids?
• History of clearing the disk of Titan
gas and small bodies
– Role of giant planets?
• Observations:
– Comets, Kuiper Belt Objects
– Icy moons in outer solar
system