Speaker
Description
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will transform radio astronomy by enabling the detection of large populations of faint, low-mass dwarf galaxies that are currently beyond the reach of existing facilities. As the most numerous galaxy population and highly sensitive to feedback and environmental processes, dwarf galaxies provide key laboratories for studying galaxy formation and evolution through neutral hydrogen (HI) observations. MeerKAT, an SKA precursor, offers exceptional surface-brightness sensitivity and UV coverage, enabling both cutting-edge HI science and technical training in SKA-relevant data analysis. This study uses MeerKAT L-band HI observations of the dwarf irregular galaxies Sextans A and Sextans B to investigate the distribution, extent, and kinematics of their neutral hydrogen. Their extended, low-column-density HI discs and complex velocity fields make them ideal test cases for recovering faint emissions and modelling gas dynamics in low-mass systems. The data will be reduced and calibrated using the CARACal pipeline, with HI source detection and masking performed using SoFiA. Three-dimensional kinematic modelling with 3DBarolo will be used to derive rotation curves and velocity fields directly from the HI data cubes. This project aims to provide improved constraints on the radial extent of HI, outer-disc surface-density profiles, and rotational behaviour of Sextans A and Sextans B, extending previous studies to lower column densities and larger galactocentric radii. The primary outcome of this project is the development and validation of a reproducible, SKA-ready HI analysis workflow, alongside improved constraints on the HI distribution and outer-disc kinematics of Sextans A and Sextans B.
| Stream | Science or Engineering |
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