| Description |
We propose to observe 40 low-inclination, late-type spiral galaxies from our DiskMass Survey in all six Herschel PACS+SPIRE bands, requiring an allocation of 40.8 hours. The powerful combination of these Herschel data and our existing DiskMass data will allow us to calculate spatially resolved dust-mass and dust-temperature maps using both traditional SED fitting and more advanced radiative transfer modeling through a clumpy (fractal) medium. We will also be able to estimate bolometric corrections to dynamically measured stellar mass-to-light ratios made in the UV and optical; this will provide an unprecedented calibration of stellar-population-synthesis modeling at these wavelengths, which is important for applications at intermediate and high redshift. Finally, we will provide a novel comparison of spatially resolved dust properties with direct measurements of the stellar, atomic-gas, and dark-matter mass densities. We emphasize that, unlike other Herschel Key and GT programs, we use stellar kinematic data (collected over six years using 4m-class optical telescopes) to directly measure the mass surface density of each galaxy disk. Using these measurements of the disk potential and the proposed Herschel observations, our sample will be uniquely qualified to describe the detailed pressure balance in the interstellar medium and its correlation with the measured dust properties, as well as their empirical links to star formation and disk stability. These topics address our core understanding of the evolution and self-regulation of galaxy disks. |
