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ZHANG Zhi-Yu
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Contact:+86-25-8968-0861 Email:zzhang AT nju DOT edu DOT cn
Personal introduction Biography

Zhi-Yu Zhang

Professor / Ph.D. Supervisor
School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University
Joined Nanjing University in May 2019

Research Interests

Prof. Zhang specializes in observational radio astronomy, physical properties of the interstellar medium, and galaxy evolution. Our group is dedicated to exploring "The Chemical Universe," focusing on cosmic element evolution and astrochemistry. We utilize world-class radio/sub-millimeter/optical/infrared telescopes, including ALMA, VLA, NOEMA, JCMT, FAST, GBT, IRAM 30m, and VLT, to observe molecular and atomic lines. Our research delves into galaxy evolution, star formation, the stellar initial mass function (IMF), element and isotope abundances, and astrochemistry. through these studies, we aim to address the following key scientific questions:

  • How are the various elements that make up our universe formed and evolved?

  • What drives star formation, the most crucial process for the cosmic baryon cycle?

  • What are the initial physical and chemical conditions of star-forming gas?

  • What physical laws govern star formation?

  • Do these laws change with the environment?

Curriculum Vitae

  • 2019 - PresentNanjing University, School of Astronomy and Space Science, Professor

  • 2014 - 2019University of Edinburgh (UK), Postdoctoral Researcher

  • 2014 - 2019European Southern Observatory (ESO, Germany), Postdoctoral Fellow

  • 2009 - 2014University of Chinese Academy of Sciences / Purple Mountain Observatory, Ph.D. in Science

  • 2005 - 2009Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, M.Sc. in Science

  • 1998 - 2003University of Science and Technology of China, Department of Modern Physics, B.Sc. in Science

Take Courses Teaching

Teaching

Dedicated to the cultivation of professional astronomers, emphasising the integration of fundamental knowledge with frontier research in teaching practice. Special emphasis is placed on cultivating students' Critical thinking, Reading skills, Academic writing proficiency, and Data analysis capabilities, guiding students from textbook knowledge to the frontiers of scientific exploration. You must challenge textbooks! 

Courses

Interstellar Medium

(ISM)Undergraduate-Graduate Joint Course

Physical processes, chemical evolution, and observational probes of the multi-phase interstellar medium (hot coronal gas, ionised gas, atomic gas, molecular gas, dust, cosmic rays, etc.). Co-taught with Prof. Ping Zhou.

2026 Spring2024 Spring

Astronomical Literature 

Reading and Writing

Undergraduate-Graduate Joint Course

Efficient retrieval and reading of professional English literature; systematic training in academic writing, logical structuring, scientific visualisation, peer review, and oral presentation.

2025 Spring2023 Spring2022 Spring2021 Spring2020 Spring
Research Field Research Interests

Research Topics

GCE Icon

Galactic Chemical Evolution

How are chemical elements produced and distributed in galaxies over cosmic time? By combining observations with numerical models (such as GalCEM), we trace the enrichment history of elements (including isotopes), revealing the life cycle of matter from the Big Bang to the present day.

ISM Icon

Multi-phase Interstellar Medium

The ISM consists of gas, dust, cosmic rays, etc., providing the fundamental environment for star formation. We measure the physical conditions of the multi-phase ISM to examine how temperature, density, and turbulence regulate the conversion of gas into stars.

Astrochemistry Icon

Astrochemistry

The cold Universe is molecular. We study how chemical species evolve from simple to complex ones (such as C60, PAH) in gas, dust, and ice mantles, and identify unknown species in the cosmos.

Star Formation Icon

Star Formation

Star formation drives the Baryonic cycle. We investigate the principles of forming stars from gas, defining dense gas and gravitationally-bound gas, and how feedback processes change their parental gas properties.

Lensing Icon

Strong Gravitational Lensing

Strong gravitational lensing provides amplification of flux and angular scales, offering a powerful tool to achieve very high resolutions and study the physical properties of background galaxies.

IMF Icon

Stellar Initial Mass Function

The stellar IMF describes the mass distribution of a stellar population at birth. We research whether the IMF is universal for all galactic environments or varies with physical conditions.

Academic publications Publications

Selected Publications

Our group has made significant progress in the fields of ISM physics, Stellar Initial Mass Function (IMF), and galaxy evolution. Below are some selected highlights:

1. Inadequate turbulent support in low-metallicity molecular clouds(Virial Parameter in Molecular Clouds)
Nature Astronomy, 2024, 9, 406L
Revealing that turbulence in molecular clouds is insufficient to resist gravitational collapse in low-metallicity environments, challenging traditional theories of star formation regulation.
2. Top-heavy Stellar Initial Mass Function in High-z Galaxies(Evidence from Isotopologues)
The Astrophysical Journal (ApJ), 2024, 970, 136G
By reporting the first detection of 13CO and C18O in high-redshift main-sequence galaxies, we provide evidence that the IMF tends to be top-heavy in these early Universe environments.
3. Discovery of a radio jet in the Cloverleaf quasar(Radio Jet in Cloverleaf)
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), 2023, 524, 36
Discovery of an obscured radio jet in the strongly lensed quasar Cloverleaf, providing new clues for studying the interaction between black holes and galaxies in the early Universe.
4. Stellar populations dominated by massive stars in dusty starburst galaxies(Top-heavy IMF in Starbursts)
Nature, 2018, 558, 260–263
Using ALMA observations of isotopic abundance ratios, we provided the first conclusive evidence that the IMF in intense starburst galaxies is not universal but heavily biased towards massive stars.

Outreach

We are committed to translating frontier astronomical discoveries into accessible scientific stories, exploring the mysteries of "The Chemical Universe."

Visualized UniverseWe use the latest observational data (e.g., ALMA, FAST) to create radio astronomy images and scientific visualizations, revealing the invisible cold, dark Universe and the molecular world to the public.
Science InterpretationWe regularly update "Research Highlights" on our group website, interpreting the latest discoveries about "how stars are born," "where elements come from," and "how galaxies evolve."
For more articles and latest discoveries, please visit our group website:
http://www.thechemicaluniverse.space/