Slater Jones Oden

Physics PhD Candidate

MSU Physics Webpage

Welcome!

I am currently a Physics PhD candidate at Montana State University (MSU) working with Dr. David Nidever. Broadly, I study the kinematics, chemistry and structural morphology of giant stellar populations of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC/SMC).

Dr. David Nidever's Webpage

Please explore my research website to learn more about me and the research that I do.

General Research Overview

My research primarily investigates the morphology and kinematics of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), with a particular focus on its outer periphery and low surface brightness substructures traced by giant red stars with low metallicity. By combining photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric datasets, I compare the full 3D observables with an inclined, rotating disk model of the LMC to identify perturbed stellar populations and refine our understanding of its dynamical structure. A central component of this work involves analyzing heliocentric radial velocities, proper motions, and residuals across a wide range of galactocentric radii to probe signatures of tidal interactions, warps, and twists in the disk.

In addition, I use red clump (RC) stars as precise standard candles to construct detailed distance and morphology maps of the Magellanic Clouds and their extended structures. These maps allow me to quantify features such as warps, hooks, and bridges, as well as to characterize the line-of-sight depth and stellar populations in both the inner and outer regions. Complementing this, I analyze the star formation histories (SFHs) of the Clouds using deep photometric data to investigate how stellar populations have evolved over time, particularly in the periphery where signatures of past interactions with the Milky Way and Small Magellanic Cloud may be preserved. Together, these studies link the structural, kinematic, and temporal evolution of the Magellanic Clouds, providing insight into their role as a unique nearby laboratory for galaxy interactions and evolution.

Data

I utilize a combination of photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric datasets for my research. The photometry I use comes from the DECam Local Volume Exploration Magellanic Clouds (DELVE-MC), the MAgellanic Periphery Survey (MAPS; Nidever et al. 2011; Majewski et al. 2009) and the Gaia space telescope (Gaia Collaboration 2023 ). The spectroscopic surveys I use include the on-going Sloan Digital Sky Survey - V Magellanic Genesis Survey (SDSS-V MGS; Nidever in prep) and the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE; Majewski et al. 2017). These surveys primarily work in the optical/near-infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing the derivation of radial velocities and metallicities from stellar spectra. I additionally use the expansize astrometric data set from Gaia to help select Magellanic members and map the 3D kinematics of stellar populations in the LMC, essential for studying the galaxy's dynamic history.

Check out my PhD comprehensive exam paper (2024) for a more complete introduction to my research and two specific projects I am currently working on. comp paper

Also check out an animation on the LMC azimuthal peripherial warp from my recent RC work on the MCs. LMC warp animation

Research Interests