|
Physical Society ColloquiumInterview for Faculty PositionThe Role of Starbursts in the Evolution of GalaxiesElizabeth BartonUniversity of ArizonaThe origins of the Hubble sequence, and thus the origins of galactic bulges, are key to unraveling the evolutionary histories of galaxies in the universe. While massive, R1/4-law bulges probably form from merger processes at high redshift, a relatively new class of `exponential' bulges are consistent with more recent formation from disk-related processes such as secular evolution, minor mergers, and close galaxy-galaxy passes. The luminous compact blue galaxies already observed at intermediate redshift may be these bulges in formation. I will describe ongoing observational efforts to explore this possibility and, more generally, to measure the incidence of central starbursts and in situ bulge formation both locally and at intermediate redshift. I will also briefly discuss a search for the earliest known star-forming galaxies, at redshifts z>7, arguing that they may be detectable with present-day technology.
Monday, February 23rd 2004, 16:00
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, R.E. Bell Conference Room (room 103) |