Non-Parametric Tests of Model JWST Galaxies

Presenter: Erazmus Bish

Presenter Status: Undergraduate student

Academic Year: 22-23

Semester: Spring

Faculty Mentor: Thomas Targett

Department: Physics & Astronomy

Funding Source/Sponsor: Class Project

Abstract:
With the recent launch and early findings of the JWST infrared telescope, the effectiveness and accuracy of existing measurements and models of distant galaxies have become a topic of interest. The telescope has enabled the capturing of images of high redshift galaxies from the earliest point in the universe. This has prompted the need to evaluate the reliability of the existing model of surface brightness profile to galaxy shape, specifically the Sersic Index, by comparing it to simulated high redshift galaxies. The aim was to determine whether the model adequately describes galaxies at higher redshifts or not. The assessment was carried out by modeling aperture photometry in Python, which provided an accurate analysis of the brightness profile of the simulated galaxies.