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.
  • News
    Clusters of galaxies: features of the XXXII IAC Winter School
    Today in the multiple use hall of IACTEC in La Laguna the XXXII Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics, organised by the Instituto de Astrofísica de...
  • Publication
    CO emission in distant galaxies on and above the main sequence
    We present the detection of multiple carbon monoxide CO line transitions with ALMA in a few tens of infrared-selected galaxies on and above the main sequence at...
  • Publication
    CO Excitation, Molecular Gas Density, and Interstellar Radiation Field in Local and High-redshift Galaxies
    We study the carbon monoxide (CO) excitation, mean molecular gas density, and interstellar radiation field (ISRF) intensity in a comprehensive sample of 76...
  • Publication
    CO in the ALMA Radio-source Catalogue (ARC): The molecular gas content of radio galaxies as a function of redshift
    To evaluate the role of radio activity in galaxy evolution, we designed a large archival CO survey of radio galaxies (RGs) to determine their molecular gas...
  • Publication
    CO kinematics unveil outflows plausibly driven by a young jet in the gigahertz peaked radio core of NGC 6328
    We report the detection of outflowing molecular gas in the center of the nearby (z = 0.014) massive radio galaxy NGC 6328. The radio core of the galaxy, PKS...
  • Publication
    CO(1–0) imaging reveals 10-kiloparsec molecular gas reservoirs around star-forming galaxies at high redshift
    Massive star-forming galaxies at high redshift require a supply of molecular gas from their gas reservoirs that is replenished by infall from the surrounding...
  • Publication
    CO, H2O, H2O+ line and dust emission in a z = 3.63 strongly lensed starburst merger at sub-kiloparsec scales
    Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), we report high angular-resolution observations of the redshift z = 3.63 galaxy H-ATLAS J083051.0...
  • Publication
    COALAS II. Extended molecular gas reservoirs are common in a distant, forming galaxy cluster
    This paper presents the results of 475h of interferometric observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array towards the Spiderweb protocluster at z=2.16...
  • Publication
    COALAS. I. ATCA CO(1-0) survey and luminosity function in the Spiderweb protocluster at z = 2.16
    We report a detailed CO(1−0) survey of a galaxy protocluster field at z = 2.16, based on 475 h of observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. We...