Liberal Arts and Sciences
Narayanan Lab
Led by Desika Narayanan · Astronomy
What we study
The Narayanan Lab studies how galaxies form and evolve using computer simulations. They focus on star formation, the interstellar medium, and how these processes shape galaxies over cosmic time.
What working here is like
- Computational
- Reading, writing & theory
- No organisms (data only)
- Coding required
- Project
- 1
- Papers
- 5
Current projects
The relationship between infrared flux and super massive black hole mass in sub millimeter galaxies
Using UF’s HiPerGator supercomputer, the team simulated dusty, distant galaxies to test whether the infrared brightness at 850 µm correlates with the mass of the central supermassive black hole.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 391
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- The Lifecycle and Emission Properties of PAHs in Cosmological Hydrodynamic Galaxy Formation Simulations
2026 · The Open Journal of Astrophysics
Models how polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) form and emit light in galaxies over time.
- Evidence for inefficient dust production in a massive, metal-rich galaxy at z=7.13 uncovered by JWST and ALMA
2026 · The Open Journal of Astrophysics
Finds dust in a distant galaxy forms much slower than expected, using JWST and ALMA.
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- The H II Regions’ Molecular Law of Star Formation
2026 · The Astrophysical Journal
Finds star formation in nearby galaxies follows a steeper relationship with molecular gas than previously thought.
- Dust in the Average Galaxy: Attenuation, Emission, and Opacity from 0<z<7
2026 · The Open Journal of Astrophysics
Compares how dust blocks and emits light in galaxies from now to early universe, using JWST and other telescopes.
- JWST Whirlpool Galaxy Treasury: Mid-infrared Emission in M51 and Its Relation to Gas Column and Star Formation
2026 · The Astrophysical Journal
Shows how mid-infrared light from PAHs and dust relates to gas and star formation in the Whirlpool Galaxy.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
Desika Narayanan hasn't set up this page yet. Their UF Scholars profile lists their publications.