2014/12/18 by Matt J. Jarvis, Jarvis, Matt J., Nick Seymour +23
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) #Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO) #FOS: Physical sciences #astro-ph.CO #astro-ph.GA
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1412.5753
19 pages, to appear as part of 'Continuum Science' in Proceedings 'Advancing Astrophysics with the SKA (AASKA14)068'
arxiv created 2014/12/18 · arxiv updated 2014/12/19
Radio wavelengths offer the unique possibility of tracing the total star-formation rate in galaxies, both obscured and unobscured. As such, they may provide the most robust measurement of the star-formation history of the Universe. In this chapter we highlight the constraints that the SKA can place on the evolution of the star-formation history of the Universe, the survey area required to overcome sample variance, the spatial resolution requirements, along with the multi-wavelength ancillary data that will play a major role in maximising the scientific promise of the SKA. The required combination of depth and resolution means that a survey to trace the star formation in the Universe should be carried out with a facility that has a resolution of at least ~0.5arcsec, with high sensitivity at < 1 GHz. We also suggest a strategy that will enable new parameter space to be explored as the SKA expands over the coming decade.