Formation and Evolution of Galaxies

S. C. Trager

Fourth Quarter Spring 2007

Prerequisites: "Sterrenstelsels" (galaxies), "Stellar Structure and Evolution", "Dynamics of Galaxies and Stellar Systems" and "Cosmology".  "Large Scale Structure of the Universe" is optional, but very helpful.  If you're uncertain about what is required, please follow this link for required background reading.

Objectives: This course is meant to introduce the current "big picture" of galaxy formation and evolution and to expose students to the "big questions" still remaining (and there are many!)  by reading and discussing original articles and reviews (when available).  Each class member will lead one class after reading appropriate (assigned) materials, in consultation with lecturer.

Text: No required textbook; reading assignments to be given before each topic, consisting of original research articles.

Requirements: Leading class discussion (45%), written exam (45%), and participating in class discussions (10%).

Date
Activity
Class leader
3 May
Introduction: the "big picture" and the "big questions" (printer-friendly version); discussion of syllabus, objectives, requirements, and organization
(Trager)
4 May
Observational overview: properties and populations of local and high-redshift galaxies (printer-friendly version) (Trager)
7 May
Review of galaxies: the Milky Way and stellar populations (printer-friendly version)
(Trager)
10 May
Review of galaxies: structure, scaling laws, and luminosity functions of galaxies (printer-friendly version)
(Trager)
11 May
Scaling laws continued (Tully-Fisher); timetable for structure formation; review of basic cosmology (Trager)
14 May
No class: NAC

21 May
Gravitational instability picture: the evolution of mass in the Universe (part 1 --- UPDATED 18 May; part 2)
(Trager)
24 May
G.I.P. part 2, continued
Dark matter profiles
(Trager)
Facundo
25 May
Dark matter substructure
First stars
(Trager)
Matthijs
31 May
Supermassive black holes
Feedback
Sandra
Marlies
1 June
Star formation history of the Universe
Semi-analytic galaxy formation models
Ayçin
Anneke
4 June
The Local Group: MW, M32+/-1
The Local Group: dwarfs
Matías
(Trager)
7 June
Reionization
Saleem Zaroubi
8 June
Scaling relations: evolution and origins
Marc Verheijen
11 June
Gravitational lensing: structure and formation of elliptical galaxies
Leon Koopmans
14 June
Evolution of Morphologies
Mergers: Mechanisms and Evolution
Johan
Simona
15 June
Massive galaxies: local Universe --- colors, luminosity functions, environment
Disk galaxies: formation
Jarno
Antonela
18 June
Early-type galaxies: stellar populations, scaling relations
Massive galaxies: z~1
Maarten
Tessel
22 June
Massive(?) galaxies: z>1.5 (different format)
Review of major topics (see some notes on Faber et al. 2005)
Hans
(Trager)
28 June (12.00)
Exam handed out

5 July (17.00)
Exam due