The PHANGS–JWST Treasury Survey: Star Formation, Feedback, and Dust Physics at High Angular Resolution in Nearby GalaxieS
Authors: Lee Janice C. , Sandstrom Karin M. , Leroy Adam K. , Thilker David A. , Schinnerer Eva , Rosolowsky Erik , Larson Kirsten L. , Egorov Oleg V. , Williams Thomas G. , Schmidt Judy , Emsellem Eric , Anand Gagandeep S. , Barnes Ashley T. , Belfiore Francesco , Bešlić Ivana , Bigiel Frank , Blanc Guillermo A. , Bolatto Alberto D. , Boquien Médéric , Brok Jakob den , Cao Yixian , Chandar Rupali , Chastenet Jérémy , Chevance Mélanie , Chiang 江 I-Da 宜達 , Congiu Enrico , Dale Daniel A. , Deger Sinan , Eibensteiner Cosima , Faesi Christopher M. , Glover Simon C. O. , Grasha Kathryn , Groves Brent , Hassani Hamid , Henny Kiana F. , Henshaw Jonathan D. , Hoyer Nils , Hughes Annie , Jeffreson Sarah , Jiménez-Donaire María J. , Kim Jaeyeon , Kim Hwihyun , Klessen Ralf S. , Koch Eric W. , Kreckel Kathryn , Kruijssen J. M. Diederik , Li Jing , Liu Daizhong , Lopez Laura A. , Maschmann Daniel , Chen Ness Mayker , Meidt Sharon E. , Murphy Eric J. , Neumann Justus , Neumayer Nadine , Pan Hsi-An , Pessa Ismael , Pety Jérôme , Querejeta Miguel , Pinna Francesca , Rodríguez M. Jimena , Saito Toshiki , Sánchez-Blázquez Patricia , Santoro Francesco , Sardone Amy , Smith Rowan J. , Sormani Mattia C. , Scheuermann Fabian , Stuber Sophia K. , Sutter Jessica , Sun 孙 Jiayi 嘉懿 , Teng Yu-Hsuan , Treß Robin G. , Usero Antonio , Watkins Elizabeth J. , Whitmore Bradley C. , Razza Alessandro 
Published: February 2023

The PHANGS collaboration has been building a reference data set for the multiscale, multiphase study of star formation and the interstellar medium (ISM) in nearby galaxies. With the successful launch and commissioning of JWST, we can now obtain high-resolution infrared imaging to probe the youngest stellar populations and dust emission on the scales of star clusters and molecular clouds (∼5–50 pc). In Cycle 1, PHANGS is conducting an eight-band imaging survey from 2 to 21 μm of 19 nearby spiral galaxies. Optical integral field spectroscopy, CO(2–1) mapping, and UV-optical imaging for all 19 galaxies have been obtained through large programs with ALMA, VLT-MUSE, and Hubble. PHANGS–JWST enables a full inventory of star formation, accurate measurement of the mass and age of star clusters, identification of the youngest embedded stellar populations, and characterization of the physical state of small dust grains. When combined with Hubble catalogs of ∼10,000 star clusters, MUSE spectroscopic mapping of ∼20,000 H ii regions, and ∼12,000 ALMA-identified molecular clouds, it becomes possible to measure the timescales and efficiencies of the earliest phases of star formation and feedback, build an empirical model of the dependence of small dust grain properties on local ISM conditions, and test our understanding of how dust-reprocessed starlight traces star formation activity, all across a diversity of galactic environments. Here we describe the PHANGS–JWST Treasury survey, present the remarkable imaging obtained in the first few months of science operations, and provide context for the initial results presented in the first series of PHANGS–JWST publications.