General
Galaxy formation and evolution is a fundamental Astrophysical problem. Its study requires “travelling back in time”, for which there are two complementary approaches. One is to analyse galaxy properties as a function of red-shift. Our team focuses on the other approach, called “Galactic Archaeology”. It is based on the determination of galaxy properties from the study of their resolved stars. Depending on their mass, stars can live as long as a Hubble time, thus allowing to study in exquisite detail how galaxies have evolved from the early Universe to the present time. This research is one of the main drivers of major international projects, both observational (such as the on-going Gaia mission and SDSS surveys, and the planned WHT/WEAVE, LSST, VISTA/4MOST, DESI, E-ELT/HARMONI, to name a few), and theoretical (such as Nihao, Magic and Auriga hydrodynamical cosmological simulations), in most of which members of our team are involved. This ensures that Galactic Archaelogy will be at the forefront of astronomical research for a long time.
The objective of this project is to understand the formation and evolution of galaxies of different morphological types, using the many local examples that can be resolved into individual stars, and which, therefore can be studied in a detail impossible elsewhere. In particular, the Local Group and its immediate surroundings contain about 80 galaxies of different morphological types. Among these, the largest are spiral galaxies (the Milky Way, M31 and M33), a dozen of them are (dwarf) irregulars and the rest are early-type systems. Thus, we can study galaxies of different morphological types, from the Milky Way down to the smallest galactic scales, which are those challenging our understanding of what a "galaxy" is.
We aim to derive their evolutionary history using a set of complementary techniques: I) using deep photometry reaching the old main sequence turn-offs, it is possible to derive the full star formation history over the entire galaxy's life; ii) spectroscopic studies of individual stars add direct information on the kinematics and chemical abundances of the different stellar populations; iii) for the most nearby systems, the inclusion of accurate astrometric measurements yields information on the distance (and thus absolute brightness), the orbital motion of the system and can even deliver the full 6D phase-space information of sub-samples of stars; iv) the study of variable stars such as Cepheids and RR Lyrae provide independent constraints on metallicities and ages of the populations they belong to. These observations offer invaluable, rich information, that can be interpreted using hydrodynamic cosmological simulations of galaxy formation that model a wide range of important physical processes.
Members
Results
Below a list of highlights from the group activities in 2020-2021. For a more general overview see publication list and this webpage.
1. Using HST data of the ultra-faint dwarf (UFD) Eridanus II, we determined (Gallart+2021) that its only star formatio event, occurred 13 Gyr ago, was very short (100-500Myr). The associated SNe energy could be enough to expel the remaining gas, casting doubts on the need to invoke cosmic reionization as the preferred explanation for the early quenching of UFD galaxies.
2. The various star formation episodes, extended to few hundred million years ago, which we have precisely dated in the dwarf spheroidal galaxies Fornax (Rusakov+2021) and Leo I (Ruiz-Lara+2021), have shed light on the effects of interactions and mergers in the star formation history of dwarf galaxies.
3. By performing for the first time a joint dynamical modeling of the internal stellar and HI gas kinematics of a Local Group dwarf galaxy, WLM, we were able to determine that its dark matter halo is likely both cored and has a prolate shape, where the co-existence of these features might pose a problem for self-interacting dark matter models (Leung+2021).
4. For the first time using cosmological simulations, we demonstrated that mergers are a viable explanation for the presence of prolate rotation in the stellar component of galaxies also on the scale of dwarf galaxies (Cardona-Barrero+2021)
5. Robert Grand ran the highest resolution MHD cosmological Milky Way simulation in the world (Grand+2021), run on MPCDF Raven large compute system for which the PI had rolling access as an MPA fellow.
Scientific activity
Related publications
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Weak Galactic halo-Fornax dSph connection from RR Lyrae starsAims: For the first time accurate pulsation properties of the ancient variable stars of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) are discussed in the broad context of galaxy formation and evolution. Methods: Homogeneous multi-band BVI optical photometry of spanning twenty years has allowed us to identify and characterize more than 1400 RR LyraeFiorentino, G. et al.
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32017 -
Two groups of red giants with distinct chemical abundances in the bulge globular cluster NGC 6553 through the eyes of APOGEEMultiple populations revealed in globular clusters (GCs) are important windows to the formation and evolution of these stellar systems. The metal-rich GCs in the Galactic bulge are an indispensable part of this picture, but the high optical extinction in this region has prevented extensive research. In this work, we use the high-resolution nearTang, B. et al.
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22017 -
Chemical tagging with APOGEE: discovery of a large population of N-rich stars in the inner GalaxyFormation of globular clusters (GCs), the Galactic bulge, or galaxy bulges in general is an important unsolved problem in Galactic astronomy. Homogeneous infrared observations of large samples of stars belonging to GCs and the Galactic bulge field are one of the best ways to study these problems. We report the discovery by APOGEE (Apache PointSchiavon, R. P. et al.
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22017 -
The ISLAandS Project II: The Lifetime Star-formation Histories of Six Andomeda DSPHSThe Initial Star formation and Lifetimes of Andromeda Satellites (ISLAndS) project employs Hubble Space Telescope imaging to study a representative sample of six Andromeda dSph satellite companion galaxies. Our main goal is to determine whether the star formation histories (SFHs) of the Andromeda dSph satellites demonstrate significant statisticalSkillman, E. D. et al.
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32017 -
Two-dimensional multi-component photometric decomposition of CALIFA galaxiesWe present a two-dimensional multi-component photometric decomposition of 404 galaxies from the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area data release 3 (CALIFA-DR3). They represent all possible galaxies with no clear signs of interaction and not strongly inclined in the final CALIFA data release. Galaxies are modelled in the g, r, and i Sloan DigitalMéndez-Abreu, J. et al.
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12017 -
Prolate rotation and metallicity gradient in the transforming dwarf galaxy PhoenixTransition type dwarf galaxies are thought to be systems undergoing the process of transformation from a star-forming into a passively evolving dwarf, which makes them particularly suitable to study evolutionary processes driving the existence of different dwarf morphological types. Here we present results from a spectroscopic survey of ˜200Kacharov, N. et al.
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42017 -
A very dark stellar system lost in Virgo: kinematics and metallicity of SECCO 1 with MUSEWe present the results of VLT-MUSE (Very Large Telescope-Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) integral field spectroscopy of SECCO 1, a faint, star-forming stellar system recently discovered as the stellar counterpart of an ultracompact high-velocity cloud (HVC 274.68+74.0), very likely residing within a substructure of the Virgo cluster of galaxiesBeccari, G. et al.
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22017 -
APOGEE chemical abundances of globular cluster giants in the inner GalaxyWe report chemical abundances obtained by Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-III/Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment for giant stars in five globular clusters located within 2.2 kpc of the Galactic Centre. We detect the presence of multiple stellar populations in four of those clusters (NGC 6553, NGC 6528, Terzan 5 and Palomar 6)Schiavon, R. P. et al.
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42017 -
The episodic star formation history of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxyWe present deep photometry of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy in the B and V filters from CTIO/MOSAIC out to and beyond the tidal radius of rell ≈ 0.48 degrees. The accurately calibrated photometry is combined with spectroscopic metallicity distributions of red giant branch (RGB) stars to determine the detailed star formation and chemicalde Boer, T. J. L. et al.
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122014 -
Clear Evidence for the Presence of Second-generation Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars in Metal-poor Galactic Globular ClustersGalactic globular clusters (GCs) are known to host multiple stellar populations: a first generation (FG) with a chemical pattern typical of halo field stars and a second generation (SG) enriched in Na and Al and depleted in O and Mg. Both stellar generations are found at different evolutionary stages (e.g., the main-sequence turnoff, the subgiantGarcía-Hernández, D. A. et al.
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122015 -
The Carina Project IX: On Hydrogen and Helium Burning VariablesWe present new multiband (UBVI) time-series data of helium burning variables in the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy. The current sample includes 92 RR Lyrae—six of them are new identifications—and 20 Anomalous Cepheids, one of which is new identification. The analysis of the Bailey diagram shows that the luminosity amplitude of the first overtoneCoppola, G. et al.
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112015 -
Recovering star formation histories: Integrated-light analyses vs. stellar colour-magnitude diagramsContext. Accurate star formation histories (SFHs) of galaxies are fundamental for understanding the build-up of their stellar content. However, the most accurate SFHs - those obtained from colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of resolved stars reaching the oldest main-sequence turnoffs (oMSTO) - are presently limited to a few systems in the Local GroupRuiz-Lara, T. et al.
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112015 -
The early days of the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxyWe present the high-resolution spectroscopic study of five -3.9 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ -2.5 stars in the Local Group dwarf spheroidal, Sculptor, thereby doubling the number of stars with comparable observations in this metallicity range. We carry out a detailed analysis of the chemical abundances of α, iron peak, and light and heavy elements, and drawJablonka, P. et al.
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112015 -
The Absolute Age of the Globular Cluster M15 Using Near-infrared Adaptive Optics Images from PISCES/LBT.We present deep near-infrared J, {K}{{s}} photometry of the old, metal-poor Galactic globular cluster M15 obtained with images collected with the LUCI1 and PISCES cameras available at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). We show how the use of First Light Adaptive Optics (FLAO) system coupled with the PISCES camera allows us to improve the limitingMonelli, M. et al.
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102015 -
Variable stars in Local Group Galaxies - I. Tracing the early chemical enrichment and radial gradients in the Sculptor dSph with RR Lyrae starsWe identified and characterized the largest (536) RR Lyrae (RRL) sample in a Milky Way dSph satellite (Sculptor) based on optical photometry data collected over ˜24 years. The RRLs display a spread in V-magnitude (˜0.35 mag) which appears larger than photometric errors and the horizontal branch (HB) luminosity evolution of a mono-metallicMartínez-Vázquez, C. E. et al.
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122015 -
The effect of tides on the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxyEstimates of the mass distribution and dark-matter (DM) content of dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) are usually derived under the assumption that the effect of the tidal field of the host galaxy is negligible over the radial extent probed by kinematic data sets. We assess the implications of this assumption in the specific case of the Fornax dSphBattaglia, G. et al.
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122015 -
The sensitivity of harassment to orbit: mass loss from early-type dwarfs in galaxy clustersWe conduct a comprehensive numerical study of the orbital dependence of harassment on early-type dwarfs consisting of 168 different orbits within a realistic, Virgo-like cluster, varying in eccentricity and pericentre distance. We find harassment is only effective at stripping stars or truncating their stellar discs for orbits that enter deep intoSmith, R. et al.
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122015 -
The ACS LCID Project: On the Origin of Dwarf Galaxy Types—A Manifestation of the Halo Assembly Bias?We discuss how knowledge of the whole evolutionary history of dwarf galaxies, including details on the early star formation events, can provide insight on the origin of the different dwarf galaxy types. We suggest that these types may be imprinted by the early conditions of formation rather than only being the result of a recent morphologicalGallart, C. et al.
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102015 -
The initial mass function of a massive relic galaxyMassive relic galaxies formed the bulk of their stellar component before z ˜ 2 and have remained unaltered since then. Therefore, they represent a unique opportunity to study in great detail the frozen stellar population properties of those galaxies that populated the primitive Universe. We have combined optical to near-infrared line-strengthMartín-Navarro, I. et al.
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72015 -
The Carina Project. VIII. The α-element abundancesWe have performed a new abundance analysis of Carina red giant (RG) stars from spectroscopic data collected with UVES (high spectral resolution) and FLAMES/GIRAFFE (high and medium resolution) at ESO/VLT. The former sample includes 44 RGs, while the latter consists of 65 (high-resolution) and ~800 (medium-resolution) RGs, covering a significantFabrizio, M. et al.
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82015
