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
    Machine Learning for Searching the Dark Energy Survey for Trans-Neptunian Objects
    In this paper we investigate how implementing machine learning could improve the efficiency of the search for Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) within Dark Energy...
  • Publication
    Machine learning in APOGEE. Identification of stellar populations through chemical abundances
    Context. The vast volume of data generated by modern astronomical surveys offers test beds for the application of machine-learning. In these exploratory...
  • Publication
    Machine learning in APOGEE. Unsupervised spectral classification with K-means
    Context. The volume of data generated by astronomical surveys is growing rapidly. Traditional analysis techniques in spectroscopy either demand intensive human...
  • News
    Machine learning reveals the merging history of nearby galaxies
    Research led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has used an innovative technique based on artificial intelligence to study how stars form in...
  • Publication
    Made-to-measure models of the Galactic box/peanut bulge: stellar and total mass in the bulge region
    We construct dynamical models of the Milky Way's box/peanut (B/P) bulge, using the recently measured 3D density of red clump giants (RCGs) as well as kinematic...
  • Publication
    MAGIC gamma-ray and multi-frequency observations of flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510-089 in early 2012
    Aims: Amongst more than fifty blazars detected in very high energy (VHE, E> 100 GeV) γ rays, only three belong to the subclass of flat spectrum radio quasars...
  • News
    Magnetic turbulence hidden in the Whirlpool Galaxy
    There is a force hidden deep inside galaxies: magnetic fields. Invisible to conventional telescopes, they are a factor in galaxy evolution, regulating the...
  • Publication
    Magnetism Science with the Square Kilometre Array
    The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will answer fundamental questions about the origin, evolution, properties, and influence of magnetic fields throughout the...
  • Publication
    MAGPHYS+photo-z: Constraining the Physical Properties of Galaxies with Unknown Redshifts
    We present an enhanced version of the multiwavelength spectral modeling code MAGPHYS that allows the estimation of galaxy photometric redshift and physical...