Lines of research: Formation & Evolution of Galaxies (FYEG)

Formation & Evolution of Galaxies (FYEG)

Galaxies are formed progressively through a complex combination of gas accretion, star formation and merger processes with other galaxies. The aim of the Galaxy Formation & Evolution research line is to unveil the physical mechanisms responsible for the most significant transformations in these objects. The research team that makes up the research line is strongly involved in the development of forefront instrumentation (EMIR, FRIDA, GTCAO, HARMONI, OSIRIS, WEAVE) and has an important role in the scientific exploitation and  development of international projects (SDSS, EUCLID, LSST) for the study of the formation and evolution of galaxies.

 
The line stands out for studies on the three-dimensional structure of the Milky Way (including its system of globular clusters and satellite galaxies), the characterisation of stellar populations and dynamics of nearby galaxies, the cycle of activity of supermassive black holes at the centres of  galaxies, the conditions of the interstellar medium in the first galaxies, and the role of dark matter in their evolution. Besides, thanks to the recently created simulations group, we also aim to relate observations with theory by means of numerical models over cosmological volumes and thus obtain predictions for future observations.
  • Publication
    Fractal dimension of optical cirrus in Stripe82
    The geometric characteristics of dust clouds provide important information on the physical processes that structure such clouds. One of such characteristics is...
  • Publication
    From kpcs to the central parsec of NGC 1097: feeding star formation and a black hole at the same time
    A panchromatic view of the star-forming ring and feeding process in the central kpc of the galaxy NGC 1097 is presented. The assembled IR to UV images at ˜10 pc...
  • Publication
    Frontier Fields: Combining HST, VLT, and Spitzer data to explore the z ~ 8 Universe behind the lensing cluster MACSJ0416.1-2403
    Context. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Frontier Fields (HFFs) project started at the end of 2013 with the aim of providing extremely deep images of six...
  • Publication
    Fully adaptive Bayesian algorithm for data analysis: FABADA
    The discovery potential from astronomical and other data is limited by their noise. We introduce a novel non-parametric noise reduction technique based on...
  • Publication
    Gaia DR2 proper motions of dwarf galaxies within 420 kpc. Orbits, Milky Way mass, tidal influences, planar alignments, and group infall
    A proper understanding of the Milky Way (MW) dwarf galaxies in a cosmological context requires knowledge of their 3D velocities and orbits. However, proper...
  • Publication
    Gaia-assisted discovery of a detached low-ionisation BAL quasar with very large ejection velocities
    We report on the discovery of a peculiar broad absorption line (BAL) quasar identified in our Gaia-assisted survey of red quasars. The systemic redshift of this...
  • Publication
    Gaia-assisted selection of a quasar reddened by dust in an extremely strong damped Lyman-α absorber at z = 2.226
    Damped Lyman-α absorbers (DLAs) as a class of quasi-stellar object (QSO) absorption-line systems are currently our most important source of detailed information...
  • Grant
    Galactic Environments and Evolution: Theoretical Investigation with Computational Astrophysics
    Numerical simulations have established themselves as a third pillar of science, complementing theoretical modelling and laboratory experiments. Especially in...
  • Publication
    Galactic extinction laws - II. Hidden in plain sight, a new interstellar absorption band at 7700 Å broader than any known DIB
    We have detected a broad interstellar absorption band centred close to 7700 Å and with a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 176.6 ± 3.9 Å. This is the first...