Testing the collapse of the HI mass function in galaxy clusters

Galaxy clusters are the most massive gravitationally bound structures in the Universe. As galaxies from the surrounding environment fall into a cluster under the influence of gravity, they lose their gas and their fuel for star formation through interactions with other galaxies and with the cluster environment. One way to measure this is by calculating the HI mass function (HIMF) for the cluster.  The HIMF represents a census of the neutral atomic gas in the galaxy population, and by comparing it to non-cluster systems, we can estimate the differential impact of environment on the evolution of the galaxy population. In the Fornax cluster, there is evidence that the HIMF "collapses" for low mass galaxies. This project is to calculate the HIMF for a dynamically young, nearby galaxy cluster and test if this collapse is a wide-spread phenomenon. Data comes from the state-of-the-art MeerKAT telescope in South Africa.  The project requires coding (Python is preferred), ability to work with data tables, and (learning to) perform rigorous statistical analysis (including Bayesian fitting). The student will join the research group of Dr. Kelley Hess and will be encouraged to participate in group meetings, attend colloquium, and participate in the research environment.