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
    Local anticorrelation between star formation rate and gas-phase metallicity in disc galaxies
    Using a representative sample of 14 star-forming dwarf galaxies in the local Universe, we show the existence of a spaxel-to-spaxel anticorrelation between the...
  • Publication
    Local Tadpole Galaxies
    Tadpole galaxies have a giant star-forming region at the end of an elongated intensity distribution. Here we use Sloan Digital Sky Survey data to determine the...
  • Publication
    Local Tadpole Galaxies: Dynamics and Metallicity
    Tadpole galaxies, with a bright peripheral clump on a faint tail, are morphological types unusual in the nearby universe but very common early on. Low mass...
  • Publication
    Localized Starbursts in Dwarf Galaxies Produced by the Impact of Low-metallicity Cosmic Gas Clouds
    Models of galaxy formation predict that gas accretion from the cosmic web is a primary driver of star formation over cosmic history. Except in very dense...
  • Publication
    Long-term multi-wavelength study of 1ES 0647+250
    Context. The BL Lac object 1ES 0647+250 is one of the few distant γ-ray emitting blazars detected at very high energies (VHEs; ≳100 GeV) during a non-flaring...
  • Publication
    Low optical polarization at the core of the optically thin jet of M87
    We study the optical linear and circular polarization in the optically thin regime of the core and jet of M87. Observations were acquired two days before the...
  • Publication
    Low-metallicity globular clusters in the low-mass isolated spiral galaxy NGC 2403
    The globular cluster (GC) systems of low-mass late-type galaxies, such as NGC 2403, have been poorly studied to date. As a low mass galaxy (M * = 7 × 10 9 M ⊙)...
  • Publication
    Low-power jet-interstellar medium interaction in NGC 7319 revealed by JWST/MIRI MRS
    We present JWST/MIRI MRS spectroscopy of NGC 7319, the largest galaxy in the Stephan's Quintet, observed as part of the Early Release Observations (ERO). NGC...
  • Publication
    Lucky spectroscopy, an equivalent technique to lucky imaging. II. Spatially resolved intermediate-resolution blue-violet spectroscopy of 19 close massive binaries using the William Herschel Telescope
    Context. Many massive stars have nearby companions. These hamper a characterization of massive stars through spectroscopy. Aims: We continue to obtain spatially...