New estimates of scale heights and spiral structures for non-edge-on spiral galaxies

On the basis of Poisson＇s equation for the logarithmic perturbation of matter density, we provide improved estimates of scale heights and spiral structures for non-edge-on spiral galaxies by subtracting the surface brightness distributions from observed images. As examples, the non-edge-on spiral galaxies PGC 24996, which is face-on, and M31, which is inclined, are studied. The scale height, pitch angle and inclination angle of M31, our nearest neighbor, that are presented in this work, agree well with previous research.     

Early star formation and galaxy formation triggered by the evolution of large-scale density perturbations

The evolution of small-scale density perturbations on the background of increasing large-scale perturbations of supercluster size will be considered. In the case that the characteristic length scales of both perturbation modes differ significantly, the interaction between both modes has to be taken into account already within lowest order of approximation. It will be shown that in this case an effective amplification for the smaller-scale perturbations occurs. For these perturbations the characteristic times of evolution decreases in dependence on the considered mass-scales more or less rapidly. Therefore, the growth of adiabatic density perturbations on mass-scales up to galaxy masses seems to be triggered by the density evolution of superclusters which the smaller-mass perturbations are embedded in. A model for the formation of observed condensed matter distribution will be proposed.     

Relations between stellar mass and electron temperature-based metallicity for star-forming galaxies in a wide mass range

We select 947 star-forming galaxies from SDSS-DR7 with [O III]λ4363emission lines detected at a signal-to-noise ratio larger than 5σ. Their electron temperatures and direct oxygen abundances are then determined. We compare the results from different methods. t2, the electron temperature in the low ionization region, estimated from t3, that in the high ionization region, is compared using three analysis relations between t2- t3. These show obvious differences, which result in some different ionic oxygen abundances. The results of t3, t2, O++/H+and O+/H+derived by using methods from IRAF and literature are also compared. The ionic abundances O++/H+are higher than O+/H+for most cases. The different oxygen abundances derived from Teand the strong-line ratios show a clear discrepancy, which is more obvious following increasing stellar mass and strong-line ratio R23. The sample of galaxies from SDSS with detected [O III]λ4363 have lower metallicites and higher star formation rates, so they may not be typical representatives of the whole population of galaxies. Adopting data objects from Andrews Martini, Liang et al. and Lee et al. data, we derive new relations of stellar mass and metallicity for star-forming galaxies in a much wider stellar mass range: from 106 M to 1011 M.     

The formation of a disk galaxy within a slowly growing dark halo

The formation of a disk galaxy within a slowly growing dark halo is simulated with a new chemo-dynamical model. The model describes the evolution of the stellar populations, the multi-phase ISM and all important interaction. I find, that the galaxy forms radially from inside-out and vertically from top-to-bottom. The derived stellar age distributions show that the inner halo is the oldest component, followed by the outer halo, the triaxial bulge, the halo-disk transition region and the disk. Despite the still idealized model, the final galaxy resembles present-day disk galaxies in many aspects. In particular, the stellar metallicity distribution in the halo of the model resembles the one of M31. The bulge in the model shows, at least two stellar subpopulations, an early collapse population and a population that formed later out of accreted disk mass. In the stellar metallicity distribution of the disk, I find a pronounced ‘G-dwarf problem’ which is the result of a pre-enrichment of the disk ISM with metal-rich gas from the bulge. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cosmological evolution and hierarchical galaxy formation

We calculate the rate at which dark matter haloes merge to form higher mass systems. Two complementary derivations using Press–Schechter theory are given, both of which result in the same equation for the formation rate. First, a derivation using the properties of the Brownian random walks within the framework of Press–Schechter theory is presented. We then use Bayes' theorem to obtain the same result from the standard Press–Schechter mass function. The rate obtained is shown to be in good agreement with results from Monte Carlo and N -body simulations. We illustrate the usefulness of this formula by calculating the expected cosmological evolution in the rate of star formation that is due to short-lived, merger-induced starbursts. The calculated evolution is well-matched to the observed evolution in ultraviolet luminosity density, in contrast to the lower rates of evolution that are derived from semi-analytic models that do not include a dominant contribution from starbursts. Hence we suggest that the bulk of the observed ultraviolet starlight at z >1 arises from merger-induced starbursts. Finally, we show that a simple merging-halo model can also account for the bulk of the observed evolution in the comoving quasar space density.     

Faint Lyman-break galaxies as a crucial test for galaxy formation models

It has recently been shown that galaxy formation models within the Λ cold dark matter cosmology predict that, compared to the observed population, small galaxies (with stellar masses  <10¹¹ M_⊙  ) form too early, are too passive since   z ∼ 3  and host too old stellar populations at   z = 0  . We then expect an overproduction of small galaxies at   z ≳ 4  that should be visible as an excess of faint Lyman-break galaxies. To check whether this excess is present, we use the morgana galaxy formation model and grasil spectrophotometric  +  radiative transfer code to generate mock catalogues of deep fields observed with Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys. We add observational noise and the effect of Lyman α emission, and perform colour–colour selections to identify Lyman-break galaxies. The resulting mock candidates have plausible properties that closely resemble those of observed galaxies. We are able to reproduce the evolution of the bright tail of the luminosity function of Lyman-break galaxies (with a possible underestimate of the number of the brightest i -dropouts), but uncertainties and degeneracies in dust absorption parameters do not allow to give strong constraints to the model. Besides, our model shows a clear excess with respect to observations of faint Lyman-break galaxies, especially of   z ₈₅₀∼ 27 V   -dropouts at   z ∼ 5  . We quantify the properties of these 'excess' galaxies and discuss the implications: these galaxies are hosted in dark matter haloes with circular velocities in excess of 100 km s⁻¹, and their suppression may require a deep rethinking of stellar feedback processes taking place in galaxy formation.     

Extremely red galaxy counterparts to 7C radio sources

We present RIJHK imaging of seven radio galaxies from the 7C Redshift Survey (7CRS) which lack strong emission lines and we use these data to investigate their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) with models that constrain their redshifts. Six of these seven galaxies have extremely red colours ( R − K >5.5) and we find that almost all of them lie in the redshift range 1< z <2. We also present near-infrared spectroscopy of these galaxies which demonstrate that their SEDs are not dominated by emission lines, although tentative lines, consistent with H α at z =1.45 and z =1.61, are found in two objects. Although the red colours of the 7CRS galaxies can formally be explained by stellar populations that are either very old or young and heavily reddened, independent evidence favours the former hypothesis. At z ∼1.5 at least 1/4 of powerful radio jets are triggered in massive (> L *) galaxies, which formed the bulk of their stars several Gyr earlier, that is at epochs corresponding to redshifts z ≳5. If a similar fraction of all z ∼1.5 radio galaxies are old, then extrapolation of the radio luminosity function shows that, depending on the radio source lifetimes, between 10 and 100 per cent of the near-IR selected extremely red object (ERO) population undergo a radio outburst at epochs corresponding to 1< z <2. An ERO found serendipitously in the field of one of the 7CRS radio sources appears to be a radio-quiet analogue of the 7CRS EROs with an emission line likely to be [O  ii ] at z =1.20. The implication is that some of the most massive elliptical galaxies formed the bulk of their stars at z ≳5 and these objects probably undergo at least two periods of active galactic nucleus activity: one at high redshift during which the black hole forms and another one at an epoch corresponding to z ∼1.5.     

The formation of galaxy discs

Galaxy disc formation must incorporate the multiphase nature of the interstellar medium. The resulting two-phase structure is generated and maintained by gravitational instability and supernova energy input, which yield a source of turbulent viscosity that is able to compete effectively in the protodisc phase with early angular momentum loss of the baryonic component via dynamical friction in the dark halo. Provided that star formation occurs on the viscous drag time-scale, this mechanism provides a means of accounting for disc sizes and radial profiles. The star formation feedback is self-regulated by turbulent gas pressure limited percolation of the supernova remnant heated hot phase, but can run away in gas-rich protodiscs to generate compact starbursts. A simple analytic model is derived for a Schmidt-like global star formation law in terms of the cold gas volume density.