About

Alberto Daniel Bolatto is an observational astronomer specializing in the study of galaxies and their evolution through cosmic time. His main research interests include star formation and its self-regulation, galaxy-scale outflows, the astrophysics of starbursts, and the structure and composition of the interstellar medium in galaxies, particularly its colder phases. Bolatto is a multi-wavelength observer utilizing imaging and spectroscopy from interferometers and space telescopes, with a preference for the spectrum from mid-infrared to millimeter and centimeter waves. He has a background in electrical engineering and instrumentation and has contributed to defining the upgrade plans for major radio observatories such as the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA 2030) and the next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). Bolatto was born and raised in Uruguay, where he received his undergraduate degree from the Universidad de la República. He obtained his PhD from Boston University and has held positions as a postdoctoral researcher and staff scientist at the University of California at Berkeley before joining the University of Maryland.

Research topics

• Astrophysics
• Physics
• Astronomy
• Optics

Selected publications

• JWST Observations of Starbursts: Dust Processing in the M82 Superwind

  The Astrophysical Journal · 2026-05-08

  articleOpen access

  Abstract We present JWST MIRI and NIRCam imaging of the inner ∼5 kpc of the M82 superwind at <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mo>∼</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> <mml:mover accent="true"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>.</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>″</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> <mml:mn>05</mml:mn> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> <mml:mover accent="true"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>.</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>″</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> <mml:mn>375</mml:mn> </mml:math> (∼0.9–6.5 pc) resolution. Targeted filters probe emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; F335M, F360M , F770W, F1130W) and continuum (F250M, F360M) The images reveal a network of cool wind filaments traced by PAHs. PAH surface brightness declines with the inverse square of distance to the midplane, suggesting that the incident radiation field from the starburst drives the observed PAH intensity out to ±2.5 kpc. The 3.3/11.3 and 3.3/7.7 μ m band ratios show uniformity with distance from the starburst, though comparisons with mid-IR dust emission models indicate a modest shift toward larger PAHs. Outside the disk, 11.3/7.7 μ m increases moderately, reflecting that PAHs become more neutral with distance from the starburst as they are exposed to a declining radiation field and ionization parameter. Overall, PAHs in the wind are consistent with standard-to-large sizes and standard-to-high ionization states. Including Spitzer and Herschel data, PAH abundance ( q PAH ) is set at ∼1% in the starburst and remains unchanging out to ±5 kpc off the disk. This flat q PAH profile suggests that PAHs are shielded from the hot wind, perhaps residing in the surface layers of cool clouds, with possible replenishment from cloud interiors and enrichment of the halo from previous bursts. In this picture, clouds are not dense enough to promote PAH growth, and they likely undergo radiative cooling and mixing with the hot phase to survive the gauntlet for at least ∼20 Myr.

  PublisherDOI

• JWST Observations of Starbursts: Molecular Hydrogen Excitation and Disequilibrium in M82

  ArXiv.org · 2026-05-18

  articleOpen access

  Emission from the pure rotational transitions of H$_2$ traces warm molecular gas, providing insight into its temperature distribution and local heating conditions. We have extended previous power-law H$_2$ temperature models to account for differential extinction by dust as well as non-equilibrium ortho-to-para-H$_2$ ratios (OPR). The turbulent environment of the M82 starburst offers a unique opportunity to study H$_2$ out of equilibrium conditions, using ~15 pc spatially resolved measurements from MIRI/MRS on JWST. With extensive detections of H$_2$ S(1)-S(7), we use our model to assess spatial variations in local heating conditions of molecular gas across a ~500 pc region of the M82 central starburst. The average slope of the recovered H$_2$ power law temperature distribution is consistent with prior studies, and the slope strongly anti-correlates with relative [Fe II]/H$_2$ S(1)-S(2) strength, pointing to the importance of shock-heating. Our models indicate that the OPR is, on average, about half of its equilibrium value. This suppression is attributed to cloud mixing timescales which are short compared to timescales for spin conversion, with molecular gas remembering its ''cooler past''. By accounting for OPR disequilibrium, we can identify instances of recent and rapid heating to better understand the flow of energy through the interstellar medium and track its thermal history.

  PublisherOA PDF

• JWST Observations of Starbursts: Dust Processing in the M82 Superwind

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-04-13

  preprintOpen access

  We present JWST MIRI and NIRCam imaging of the inner ~5 kpc of the M82 superwind at 0.05-0.375'' (~0.9-6.5 pc) resolution. Targeted filters probe emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; F335M, F360M, F770W, F1130W) and continuum (F250M, F360M). The images reveal a network of cool wind filaments traced by PAHs. PAH surface brightness declines with the inverse square of distance to the midplane, suggesting that the incident radiation field from the starburst drives the observed PAH intensity out to 2.5 kpc. The 3.3/11.3 and 3.3/7.7 band ratios show uniformity with distance from the starburst, though comparisons with mid-IR dust emission models indicate a modest shift toward larger PAHs. Outside the disk, 11.3/7.7 increases moderately, reflecting that PAHs become more neutral with distance from the starburst as they are exposed to a declining radiation field and ionization parameter. Overall, PAHs in the wind are consistent with standard-to-large sizes and standard-to-high ionization states. Including Spitzer and Herschel data, PAH abundance (qPAH) is set at ~1% in the starburst and remains unchanging out to 5 kpc off the disk. This flat qPAH profile suggests that PAHs are shielded from the hot wind, perhaps residing in the surface layers of cool clouds, with possible replenishment from cloud interiors and enrichment of the halo from previous bursts. In this picture, clouds are not dense enough to promote PAH growth, and they likely undergo radiative cooling and mixing with the hot phase to survive the gauntlet for at least ~20 Myr.

  PublisherDOI

• JWST Observations of Starbursts: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Closely Trace the Cool Phase of M82’s Galactic Wind

  The Astrophysical Journal Letters · 2026-02-24

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Stellar feedback drives multiphase gas outflows from starburst galaxies, but the interpretation of dust emission in these winds remains uncertain. To investigate this, we analyze new JWST mid-infrared images tracing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission at 7.7 and 11.3 μ m from the outflow of the prototypical starburst M82 out to 3.2 kpc. We find that PAH emission shows significant correlations with CO, H α , and X-ray emission within the outflow, though the strengths and behaviors of these correlations vary with gas phase and distance from the starburst. PAH emission correlates strongly with cold molecular gas, with PAH–CO scaling relations in the wind nearly identical to those in galaxy disks despite the very different conditions. The H α –PAH correlation indicates that H α traces the surfaces of PAH-bearing clouds, consistent with arising from ionized layers produced by shocks. Meanwhile, the PAH–X-ray correlation disappears once distance effects are controlled for past 2 kpc, suggesting that PAHs are decoupled from the hot gas and the global correlation merely reflects the large-scale structure of the outflow. The PAH-to-neutral gas ratio remains nearly flat to 2 kpc, with variations following changes in the radiation field. This implies that the product of PAH abundance and dust-to-gas ratio does not change significantly over the inner portion of the outflow. Together, these results demonstrate that PAHs robustly trace the cold phase of M82’s wind, surviving well beyond the starburst and providing a powerful, high-resolution proxy for mapping the life cycle of entrained cold material in galactic outflows.

  PublisherDOI

• JWST Observations of Starbursts: Dust Processing in the M82 Superwind

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-04-13

  articleOpen access

  We present JWST MIRI and NIRCam imaging of the inner ~5 kpc of the M82 superwind at 0.05-0.375'' (~0.9-6.5 pc) resolution. Targeted filters probe emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; F335M, F360M, F770W, F1130W) and continuum (F250M, F360M). The images reveal a network of cool wind filaments traced by PAHs. PAH surface brightness declines with the inverse square of distance to the midplane, suggesting that the incident radiation field from the starburst drives the observed PAH intensity out to 2.5 kpc. The 3.3/11.3 and 3.3/7.7 band ratios show uniformity with distance from the starburst, though comparisons with mid-IR dust emission models indicate a modest shift toward larger PAHs. Outside the disk, 11.3/7.7 increases moderately, reflecting that PAHs become more neutral with distance from the starburst as they are exposed to a declining radiation field and ionization parameter. Overall, PAHs in the wind are consistent with standard-to-large sizes and standard-to-high ionization states. Including Spitzer and Herschel data, PAH abundance (qPAH) is set at ~1% in the starburst and remains unchanging out to 5 kpc off the disk. This flat qPAH profile suggests that PAHs are shielded from the hot wind, perhaps residing in the surface layers of cool clouds, with possible replenishment from cloud interiors and enrichment of the halo from previous bursts. In this picture, clouds are not dense enough to promote PAH growth, and they likely undergo radiative cooling and mixing with the hot phase to survive the gauntlet for at least ~20 Myr.

  PublisherOA PDF

• JWST Observations of Starbursts: Molecular Hydrogen Excitation and Disequilibrium in M82

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-05-18

  preprintOpen access

  Emission from the pure rotational transitions of H$_2$ traces warm molecular gas, providing insight into its temperature distribution and local heating conditions. We have extended previous power-law H$_2$ temperature models to account for differential extinction by dust as well as non-equilibrium ortho-to-para-H$_2$ ratios (OPR). The turbulent environment of the M82 starburst offers a unique opportunity to study H$_2$ out of equilibrium conditions, using ~15 pc spatially resolved measurements from MIRI/MRS on JWST. With extensive detections of H$_2$ S(1)-S(7), we use our model to assess spatial variations in local heating conditions of molecular gas across a ~500 pc region of the M82 central starburst. The average slope of the recovered H$_2$ power law temperature distribution is consistent with prior studies, and the slope strongly anti-correlates with relative [Fe II]/H$_2$ S(1)-S(2) strength, pointing to the importance of shock-heating. Our models indicate that the OPR is, on average, about half of its equilibrium value. This suppression is attributed to cloud mixing timescales which are short compared to timescales for spin conversion, with molecular gas remembering its ''cooler past''. By accounting for OPR disequilibrium, we can identify instances of recent and rapid heating to better understand the flow of energy through the interstellar medium and track its thermal history.

  PublisherDOI

• The Local Group <i>L</i> -band Survey: Probing Cold Atomic Gas in IC 10 with Neutral Hydrogen Absorption

  The Astrophysical Journal · 2026-01-29

  articleOpen access

  Abstract We present the first localized detections of the cold neutral medium (CNM) in IC 10, offering a rare view of dense atomic gas in a low-metallicity ( Z / Z ⊙ ∼ 0.27) dwarf galaxy. As a low-metallicity starburst, IC 10’s interstellar medium conditions could reflect small scale physics conditions that mirror those of early galaxies, providing a unique window into the heating and cooling processes that shaped the interstellar medium in early-Universe environments. Leveraging the high angular (&lt;5″ ∼ 15 pc) and spectral (0.4 km s −1 ) resolution of the Local Group L -band Survey, we searched for H I absorption against nine continuum radio sources and detected absorption along three sightlines corresponding to internal radio emission sources within IC 10. Using Gaussian decomposition and radiative transfer, we characterize the CNM, deriving spin temperatures of ∼30–55 K, column densities of (0.6–3.0) × 10 21 cm −2 , cold H I fractions of ∼21%–37%, and line widths of ∼5.6–13.6 km s −1 . For each individual detection of H I absorption, we find corresponding molecular emission from 12 CO ( J = 1–0), HCO + ( J = 1–0), and HCN ( J = 1–0) at similar velocities and with comparable line widths, indicating a well-mixed cold atomic and molecular medium. In IC 10, the CNM shows a clear kinematic connection to the high-density ISM, implying a stronger dynamical coupling with molecular gas than in the Milky Way, in line with expectations for low-metallicity environments. At the ∼15 pc scales probed by slightly extended H II regions in IC 10, unresolved CNM clouds likely contribute to line blending, so the observed broad H I line widths may partly reflect spatial and kinematic averaging.

  PublisherDOI

• JWST Observations of Starbursts: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Closely Trace the Cool Phase of M82’s Galactic Wind

  The Astrophysical Journal Letters · 2026-02-24 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Stellar feedback drives multiphase gas outflows from starburst galaxies, but the interpretation of dust emission in these winds remains uncertain. To investigate this, we analyze new JWST mid-infrared images tracing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission at 7.7 and 11.3 μ m from the outflow of the prototypical starburst M82 out to 3.2 kpc. We find that PAH emission shows significant correlations with CO, H α , and X-ray emission within the outflow, though the strengths and behaviors of these correlations vary with gas phase and distance from the starburst. PAH emission correlates strongly with cold molecular gas, with PAH–CO scaling relations in the wind nearly identical to those in galaxy disks despite the very different conditions. The H α –PAH correlation indicates that H α traces the surfaces of PAH-bearing clouds, consistent with arising from ionized layers produced by shocks. Meanwhile, the PAH–X-ray correlation disappears once distance effects are controlled for past 2 kpc, suggesting that PAHs are decoupled from the hot gas and the global correlation merely reflects the large-scale structure of the outflow. The PAH-to-neutral gas ratio remains nearly flat to 2 kpc, with variations following changes in the radiation field. This implies that the product of PAH abundance and dust-to-gas ratio does not change significantly over the inner portion of the outflow. Together, these results demonstrate that PAHs robustly trace the cold phase of M82’s wind, surviving well beyond the starburst and providing a powerful, high-resolution proxy for mapping the life cycle of entrained cold material in galactic outflows.

  PublisherDOI

• Characterization of Two Cool Galaxy Outflow Candidates Using Mid-infrared Emission from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

  The Astrophysical Journal Letters · 2025-10-03 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract We characterize two candidate cool galactic outflows in two relatively low-mass, highly inclined Virgo cluster galaxies: NGC 4424 and NGC 4694. Previous analyses of observations using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array carbon monoxide (CO) line emission maps did not classify these sources as cool outflow hosts. Using new high-sensitivity, high-spatial-resolution, JWST mid-infrared photometry in the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)–tracing F770W band, we identify extended structures present off of the stellar disk. The identified structures are bright in the MIRI F770W and F2100W bands, suggesting they include PAHs as well as other dust grains. As PAHs have been shown to be destroyed in hot, ionized gas, these structures are likely to be outflows of cool ( T ≤ 10 4 K) gas. This work represents an exciting possibility for using mid-infrared observations to identify and measure outflows in lower-mass, lower star formation galaxies.

  PublisherDOI

• The Far-Infrared Enhanced Survey Spectrometer (FIRESS) for PRIMA: Science Drivers

  ArXiv.org · 2025-09-01

  preprintOpen access

  We present the science drivers for the Far-Infrared Enhanced Survey Spectrometer (FIRESS), one of two science instrument on the PRobe Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA). FIRESS is designed to meet science objectives in the areas of the origins of planetary atmospheres, the co-evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes, and the buildup of heavy elements in the Universe. In addition to these drivers, FIRESS is envisioned as a versatile far-infrared spectrometer, capable of addressing science questions in most areas of astrophysics and planetary astronomy as part of a dominant General Observer (GO) program with 2/3 of the current science cases using FIRESS. We summarize how the instrument design choices and parameters enable the main science drivers as well as a broad and vibrant GO program.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Collaborative Research: Changes in Molecular Gas and Galaxy Properties Over Time in the Era of Integral Field Unit Surveys

  NSF · $349k · 2016–2020

• The Role of Gas in the Evolution of Galaxies

  NSF · $500k · 2014–2018

• The Inner Workings of Starbursts and Their Winds

  NSF · $550k · 2021–2025

• Collaborative Research: Spatially Resolving the Mechanisms of Star Formation Quenching Using Molecular Gas Observations

  NSF · $579k · 2023–2027

• CAREER:Steps Toward a Physical Understanding of the Star Formation Law

  NSF · $618k · 2010–2016

Frequent coauthors

• Adam K. Leroy

  304 shared

• F. Walter

  181 shared

• Karin Sandström

  171 shared

• Annie Hughes

  Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie

  146 shared

• J. Pety

  Laboratoire d’Etudes du Rayonnement et de la Matière en Astrophysique et Atmosphères

  128 shared

• Erik Rosolowsky

  University of Alberta

  126 shared

• Éric Emsellem

  101 shared

• E. Schinnerer

  Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

  95 shared

Education

• PhD in Astronomy, Astronomy

  Boston University

  2001