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
    Properties of Bars in the Local Universe
    We studied the fraction and properties of bars in a sample of about 3000 galaxies extracted from SDSS-DR5. This represents a volume limited sample with galaxies...
  • Publication
    Properties of dusty tori in active galactic nuclei - I. The case of SWIRE/SDSS quasars
    We derive the properties of dusty tori in active galactic nuclei from the comparison of observed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of SDSS quasars and a...
  • Publication
    Properties of extragalactic thick discs recovered from ultra-deep Stripe82 imaging
    Context. Thick discs can give invaluable information on the formation and evolution history of galaxies as most, if not all, disc galaxies have a thin...
  • Publication
    Properties of Fossil Groups of Galaxies
  • Publication
    Properties of slowly rotating asteroids from the Convex Inversion Thermophysical Model
    Context. Recent results for asteroid rotation periods from the TESS mission showed how strongly previous studies have underestimated the number of slow rotators...
  • Publication
    Properties of the Dwarf Galaxy Population in Galaxy Clusters
    We present the observational properties of the dwarf galaxy population (Mr>M*r+1) corresponding to one of the largest samples of spectroscopically confirmed...
  • Publication
    Properties of the Photometric Components of Lenticular Galaxies
    After almost one century since their definition, the origin of lenticular galaxies is still a matter of debate. Several formation processes have been proposed...
  • Publication
    Prospects for future studies using deep imaging: analysis of individual Galactic cirrus filaments
    The presence of Galactic cirrus is an obstacle for studying both faint objects in our Galaxy and low surface brightness extragalactic structures. With the aim...
  • Publication
    PSR B0656+14: the unified outlook from the infrared to X-rays
    We report detection of PSR B0656+14 with the Gran Telescopio Canarias in narrow optical F657, F754, F802, and F902 and near-infrared JHK s bands. The pulsar...