Michelle Cluver (AAO)

Michelle Cluver Colloquium -- Cosmos (from Chaos)

Abstract

Within the realm of astrophysics we explore extremes of scales. From the
formation of our Solar System and molecular clouds within our galaxy to
colliding clusters of galaxies, we explore 30 orders of magnitude of mass
across 15 orders of wavelength. We accumulate huge amounts of data and
knowledge, but they remain pieces of a vast and complex puzzle governed by
intricate physics and chemistry. I will discuss my work on gas-rich star
formation, galaxy groups and the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) Survey
and how I see physical processes on very different scales being analogous.
Exploiting these parallel connections when combining extremely large
datasets and the mega-simulations of the future should bolster the
unification of currently parallel studies.