Start year
2006
Organizational Unit
Organizing institutions
Grants related:
General
Description
Welcome to the Traces of Galaxy Formation research group website.
We are a large, diverse, and very active research group aiming to provide a comprehensive picture for the formation of galaxies in the Universe. Rooted in detailed stellar population analysis, we are constantly exploring and developing new tools and ideas to understand how galaxies came to be what we now observe.
A complex star formation history, as the one expected to describe galaxy evolution, needs a multidisciplinary approach to be fully understood. Our group at the IAC consists of experienced researchers in cosmological simulations, dynamical studies, stellar populations and morphological properties of galaxies up to high redshift. We combine different approaches (e.g. observations and theory, secular and cosmological evolution studies) to obtain a complete view of the dominant mechanisms driving the evolution of galaxies.
Within this general framework, we are currently exploring three main areas of research:
- Stellar population synthesis models
- Development of new stellar population synthesis models
- Stellar population analysis tools
- Universality of the stellar initial mass function (IMF)
- Cosmic evolution of galaxies
- Massive galaxy evolution
- Stellar populations in different environments
- Low surface brightness science
- Machine learning and cosmological simulations
- Evolutionary processes in nearby galaxies
- The role of black holes in the evolution of galaxies
- Surveys of nearby galaxies
- Stellar kinematics and dynamical models
If you want to get in contact or work with us, please send an email to the head of the group (Ignacio Martín-Navarro ignacio.martin [at] iac.es (ignacio[dot]martin[at]iac[dot]es)).
Members
Principal investigator
Ignacio
Martín Navarro
Project staff
Ignacio
Trujillo Cabrera
Alexandre
Vazdekis Vazdekis
Ignacio Alfonso
Ferreras Páez
Jesús
Falcón Barroso
Marc
Huertas-Portocarrero Company
Adriana de
Lorenzo-Cáceres Rodríguez
Anna
Ferré Mateu
Mireia
Montes Quiles
Regina
Sarmiento
Iveth Adaena
Gaspar Gorostieta
Eirini
Angeloudi
Giulia
Golini
Laura Elizabeth
Scholz Díaz
Pablo
Rodríguez Beltrán
Results
Here you can find some of our most recent highlights:
- Local variations of the stellar velocity ellipsoid - II. The effect of the bar in the inner regions of Auriga galaxies. Walo et al. 2022, MNRAS (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022MNRAS.513.4587W)
- Anisotropic satellite galaxy quenching modulated by black hole activity. Martín-Navarro et al. 2021, Nature (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021Natur.594..187M)
- Evaluating hydrodynamical simulations with green valley galaxies. Angthopo et al. 2021, MNRAS (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021MNRAS.502.3685A)
- Sub one per cent mass fractions of young stars in red massive galaxies. Salvador-Rusiñol et al. 2020, Nature Astronomy (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020NatAs...4..252S)
- Detection of young stellar populations in apparently quenched low-mass galaxies using red spectral line indices. de Lorenzo-Cáceres et al. 2020, MNRAS (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020MNRAS.498.1002D)
Scientific activity
Related publications
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Exploring the Evolutionary Paths of the Most Massive Galaxies since z ~ 2We use Spitzer MIPS data from the FIDEL Legacy Project in the extended Groth strip to analyze the stellar mass assembly of massive (M>1011 Msolar) galaxies at z 1, and more pronouncedly at z>1.3, the median specific SFRs of the disks and spheroids detected by MIPS are very similar, ranging from 0.1 to 1 Gyr-1 (SFR=10-200 Msolar yr-1). We estimatePérez-González, Pablo G. et al.
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112008 -
A Petal of the Sunflower: Photometry of the Stellar Tidal Stream in the Halo of Messier 63 (NGC 5055)We present deep surface photometry of a very faint, giant arc-loop feature in the halo of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 5055 (M63) that is consistent with being a part of a stellar stream resulting from the disruption of a dwarf satellite galaxy. This faint feature was first detected in early photographic studies by van der Kruit; more recently, inChonis, Taylor S. et al.
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112011 -
UBV(RI)C photometry of the open clusters Be 15, Be 80 and NGC 2192The three open clusters Be 15, Be 80 and NGC 2192 have been observed using CCD UBV(RI)C photometry at the San Pedro Mártir Observatory, México within the framework of our open-cluster survey. The fundamental parameters of interstellar reddening, distance and age have been derived, and also the metallicity for NGC 2192 (solar metallicity has beenTapia, M. T. et al.
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12010 -
Hubble Space Telescope study of resolved red giant stars in the outer halos of nearby dwarf starburst galaxiesContext. Central starbursts in galaxies are an extreme example of ongoing galaxy evolution. The outer parts of galaxies contain a fossil record of galaxy formation and evolution processes in the more distant past. The characterization of resolved stellar populations allows one a detailed study of these topics. Aims: We observed the outer parts ofRyś, A. et al.
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62011 -
Satellites around massive galaxies since z˜ 2The accretion of minor satellites has been postulated as the most likely mechanism to explain the significant size evolution of massive galaxies over cosmic time. Using a sample of 629 massive (Mstar˜ 1011 M&sun;) galaxies from the near-infrared Palomar/DEEP-2 survey, we explore what fraction of these objects have satellites with 0.01 MsatMármol-Queraltó, E. et al.
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52012 -
Evidence for Intermediate-Age Stellar Populations in Early-Type Galaxies from K-Band SpectroscopyThe study of stellar populations in early-type galaxies in different environments is a powerful tool for constraining their star formation histories. This study has been traditionally restricted to the optical range, where dwarfs around the turn-off and stars at the base of the red giant branch dominate the integrated light at all ages. The nearMármol-Queraltó, E. et al.
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112009 -
Dwarf galaxies in the Coma cluster - I. Velocity dispersion measurementsWe present the study of a large sample of early-type dwarf galaxies in the Coma cluster observed with DEIMOS on the Keck II to determine their internal velocity dispersion. We focus on a subsample of 41 member dwarf elliptical galaxies for which the velocity dispersion can be reliably measured, 26 of which were studied for the first time. TheKourkchi, E. et al.
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32012 -
A new stellar library in the region of the CO index at 2.3 μm. New index definition and empirical fitting functionsContext: The analysis of unresolved stellar populations demands evolutionary synthesis models with realistic physical ingredients and extended wavelength coverage. Aims: We quantitatively describe the first CO bandhead at 2.3 μm to allow stellar population models to provide improved predictions in this wavelength range. Methods: We observed a newMármol-Queraltó, E. et al.
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102008 -
Analysis of possible anomalies in the QSO distribution of the Flesch & Hardcastle catalogueAims:A recent catalogue by Flesch & Hardcastle presents two major anomalies in the spatial distribution of QSO candidates: i) an apparent excess of such objects near bright galaxies, and ii) an excess of very bright QSO candidates compared to random background expectations in several regions of the sky. Because anyone of these anomalies would beLópez-Corredoira, M. et al.
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32008 -
Stellar Tidal Streams in Spiral Galaxies of the Local Volume: A Pilot Survey with Modest Aperture TelescopesWithin the hierarchical framework for galaxy formation, minor merging and tidal interactions are expected to shape all large galaxies to the present day. As a consequence, most seemingly normal disk galaxies should be surrounded by spatially extended stellar "tidal features" of low surface brightness. As part of a pilot survey for such interactionMartínez-Delgado, D. et al.
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102010 -
HerMES: SPIRE detection of high-redshift massive compact galaxies in GOODS-N fieldWe have analysed the rest-frame far-infrared properties of a sample of massive (M* > 1011Msolar) galaxies at 2Cava, A. et al.
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112010 -
Dwarfs Gobbling Dwarfs: A Stellar Tidal Stream around NGC 4449 and Hierarchical Galaxy Formation on Small ScalesA candidate diffuse stellar substructure was previously reported in the halo of the nearby dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4449 by Karachentsev et al. We map and analyze this feature using a unique combination of deep integrated-light images from the BlackBird 0.5 m telescope, and high-resolution wide-field images from the 8 m Subaru Telescope, whichMartínez-Delgado, David et al.
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42012 -
Young ages and other intriguing properties of massive compact galaxies in the local UniverseWe characterize the kinematics, morphology, stellar populations and star formation histories of a sample of massive compact galaxies in the nearby Universe, which might provide a closer look at the nature of their high-redshift (z >rsim 1.0) massive counterparts. We find that nearby compact massive objects show elongated morphologies and are fastFerré-Mateu, A. et al.
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62012 -
Ultra-deep Sub-kiloparsec View of nearby Massive Compact GalaxiesUsing Gemini North telescope ultra-deep and high-resolution (sub-kiloparsec) K-band adaptive optics imaging of a sample of four nearby (z ~ 0.15) massive (~1011 M &sun;) compact (R 1.5 kpc) galaxies, we have explored the structural properties of these rare objects with unprecedented detail. Our surface brightness profiles expand over 12 mag inTrujillo, I. et al.
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52012 -
The SDSS-UKIDSS Fundamental Plane of Early-Type GalaxiesWe derive the fundamental plane (FP) relation for a sample of 1430 early-type galaxies in the optical (r band) and the near-infrared (K band), by combining SDSS and UKIDSS data. With such a large, homogeneous data set, we are able to assess the dependence of the FP on the wave band. Our analysis indicates that the FP of luminous early-type galaxiesLa Barbera, F. et al.
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122008 -
The SAURON project - XXI. The spatially resolved UV-line strength relations of early-type galaxiesThe unexpected rising flux of early-type galaxies at decreasing ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths is a long-standing mystery. One important observational constraint is the correlation between UV-optical colours and Mg2 line strengths found by Burstein et al. The simplest interpretation of this phenomenon is that the UV strength is related to the Mg lineJeong, Hyunjin et al.
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62012 -
The SAURON project - XX. The Spitzer [3.6] - [4.5] colour in early-type galaxies: colours, colour gradients and inverted scaling relationsWe investigate the [3.6]-[4.5] Spitzer-IRAC colour behaviour of the early-type galaxies of the SAURON survey, a representative sample of 48 nearby ellipticals and lenticulars. We investigate how this colour, which is unaffected by dust extinction, can be used to constrain the stellar populations in these galaxies. We find a tight relation betweenPeletier, Reynier F. et al.
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12012 -
The SAURON project - XVII. Stellar population analysis of the absorption line strength maps of 48 early-type galaxiesWe present a stellar population analysis of the absorption line strength maps for 48 early-type galaxies from the SAURON sample. Using the line strength index maps of Hβ, Fe5015 and Mgb, measured in the Lick/IDS system and spatially binned to a constant signal-to-noise ratio, together with predictions from up-to-date stellar population models, weKuntschner, Harald et al.
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102010 -
The SAURON project - XVI. On the sources of ionization for the gas in elliptical and lenticular galaxiesFollowing our study on the incidence, morphology and kinematics of the ionized gas in early-type galaxies, we now address the question of what is powering the observed nebular emission. To constrain the likely sources of gas excitation, we resort to a variety of ancillary data we draw from complementary information on the gas kinematics, stellarSarzi, Marc et al.
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32010 -
The SAURON project - XV. Modes of star formation in early-type galaxies and the evolution of the red sequenceWe combine SAURON integral field data of a representative sample of local early-type, red sequence galaxies with Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera imaging in order to investigate the presence of trace star formation in these systems. With the Spitzer data, we identify galaxies hosting low-level star formation, as traced by polycyclic aromaticShapiro, Kristen L. et al.
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32010
