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
    The wide binary frequency of metal-poor stars
    Context. This study is aimed at identifying possible low-mass and sub-stellar companions to stars with well-determined metallicities. We investigate the...
  • Publication
    The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE: Survey design, overview, and simulated implementation
    WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, saw first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises...
  • Publication
    The Wolf-Rayet star population in the dwarf galaxy NGC 625
    Context. Quantifying the number, type, and distribution of Wolf-Rayet (W-R) stars is a key component in the context of galaxy evolution, since they put...
  • Publication
    The X-SHOOTER Lyman α survey at z = 2 (XLS-z2) I: what makes a galaxy a Lyman α emitter?
    We present the first results from the X-SHOOTER Lyman α survey at z = 2 (XLS-z2). XLS-z2 is a deep spectroscopic survey of 35 Lyman α emitters (LAEs) utilizing...
  • Publication
    The XMM-Newton Wide Angle Survey (XWAS)
    Aims: This programme is aimed at obtaining one of the largest X-ray selected samples of identified active galactic nuclei to date in order to characterise such...
  • Publication
    The Young and the Wild: What Happens to Protoclusters Forming at Redshift z ≈ 4?
    Using one of the largest volumes of the hydrodynamical cosmological simulation suit Magneticum, we study the evolution of protoclusters identified at redshift ≈...
  • Publication
    The z = 5 Quasar Luminosity Function from SDSS Stripe 82
    We present a measurement of the Type I quasar luminosity function at z = 5 using a large sample of spectroscopically confirmed quasars selected from optical...
  • Publication
    The [CII] 158 μm emission line as a gas mass tracer in high redshift quiescent galaxies
    A great deal of effort has been made in recent years to probe the gas fraction evolution of massive quiescent galaxies (QGs); however, a clear picture has not...
  • News
    The “last breaths” in the lives of galaxies
    A team of astronomers has discovered that galaxies with an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) –hosting continuously growing black holes that emit large amounts of...