棒在星系恒星形成中的作用

从理论Ｎ体模拟、射电辐射、红外辐射以及统计比较等几个方面，概述了棒在星系恒星形成中的作用，并讨论了在这一问题研究中出现的互相予盾的一些结果。     

棒对星系核区恒星形成活动的影响

利用SDSS光谱,研究了IRAS卫星亮红外源星表中的盘状星系中的恒星形成性质,并着重探讨了棒对星系核区恒星形成活动的影响.利用星族合成的方法得到了每个样本星系核区的恒星组成性质、恒星形成活动的强度等信息,并比较了星系整体和核区恒星形成性质的差异.得到的结论:除去相互作用,样本中的棒星系显示出比非棒旋星系更强的核区恒星形成活动和更多的年轻星族成分.     

旋涡星系中恒星形成对旋涡结构的影响

本文利用N体数值模拟方法,讨论了旋涡星系中恒星形成对旋涡结构的维持作用。在假定恒星是在一定密度区域中形成以及恒星诞生率为1.0M_⊙/年的情况下,模拟结果表明,旋涡图象的维持时间是未考虑恒星形成模型的2.3倍。     

恒星形成星系主序关系的研究现状

观测发现,恒星形成星系(star-forming galaxies, SFGs)的恒星形成率(ψSFR)与恒星质量(M*)之间存在紧密的相关关系(即lgψSFR-lg M*,称为“主序关系”),弥散约为0.2～0.4 dex。主序关系对限制星系演化的理论模型具有重要的意义,是描述星系演化的基本关系之一。近年来,随着大型观测设备和数据处理技术飞速发展,星系形成和演化的理论模型也越来越完善,在此基础上,天文学家对于主序关系的研究取得了许多重要进展。首先介绍测量星系ψSFR的技术和挑选SFGs的方法,方便后续分析主序关系存在系统性偏差的原因。然后介绍主序关系最新的观测进展：主序关系在大质量端会“变平”,可能是由于星系/暗晕冷热吸积模式发生转换导致冷吸积减少;主序关系的弥散对恒星质量的依赖呈现U型,可能是由于小质量端的恒星反馈和大质量端的活动星系核反馈导致恒星质量相近的星系在恒星形成历史上具有多样性;理论与观测得到的主序关系零点在中高红移存在差异的问题依然存在较大争议。最后对主序关系的研究进行了总结和展望。     

星系中分子气体与恒星形成的研究进展

星系中气体转化为恒星的过程决定了星系的结构和演化,因此研究恒星形成最直接的原料——分子气体的含量、分子气体形成恒星的规律以及会受哪些物理机制的影响,对于理解星系的形成和演化具有重要意义。近年来,随着观测技术和设备(尤其是射电望远镜)的发展,天文学家可以在不同尺度上探测到越来越多星系的多种分子多种能级跃迁的谱线。首先,介绍了探测分子气体的多种方法和新的发现;然后基于CO巡天数据和致密分子气体数据,分别在统计上讨论了分子气体分布及分子气体含量与恒星形成率之间的紧密关系,并与小尺度上的恒星形成理论进行了比较;最后,结合影响星系演化的物理过程,讨论活动星系核、星系形态以及星系所处环境对分子气体的影响。     

COSMOS场中星系恒星形成的演化研究

基于COSMOS(Cosmic Evolution Survey)/Ultra VISTA(Ultra-deep Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy)场中多波段测光数据,利用质量限选取了红移分布在0z3.5的星系样本.通过UVJ(U-V和V-J)双色图分类判据将星系分类成恒星形成星系(SFGs)和宁静星系(QGs).对于红移分布在0z1.5范围内且M*1011M⊙的QGs来说,该星系在样本中所占比例高于70%.在红移0z3.5范围内,恒星形成星系的恒星形成率(SFR)与恒星质量(M*)之间有着很强的主序(MS)关系.对于某一固定的恒星质量M*来说,星系的SFR和比恒星形成率(s SFR)会随着红移增大而增大,这表明在高红移处恒星形成星系更加活跃,有激烈的恒星形成.相对于低质量的星系来说,高质量的SFGs有较低的s SFR,这意味着低质量星系的增长更多的是通过星系本身的恒星形成.通过结合来自文献中数据点信息,发现更高红移(2z8)星系的s SFR随红移的演化趋势变弱,其演化关系是s SFR∝(1+z)0.94±0.17.     

早型星系的恒星形成活动演化研究

从观测上测定早型星系中恒星形成活动随红移的演化有助于理解这类星系的形成演化.结合GEMS（Galaxy Evolution from Morphology and SEDs）巡天的HST/ACS（Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys）高分辨图像和CDFS（ChandraDeep Field South）天区Spitzer、GALEX（Galaxy Evolution Explorer）等多波段数据,基于形态、颜色和恒星质量选出一个0.2≤z≤1.0红移范围的包含456个早型星系的完备样本.利用stacking技术测量了样本星系紫外与红外平均光度,估计早型星系的恒星形成率.结果显示,早型星系中的恒星形成率较低(<3 M_⊙·yr^-1),随红移递减而降低.在红移z=1以来的恒星形成贡献的质量小于15%.星族分析亦肯定大质量早型星系的主体星族形成于宇宙早期（z>2）.     

星系中恒星形成率指针的比较研究

利用赫歇尔空间望远镜的H-ATLAS(Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey)SDP(Science Demonstration Phase)天区从紫外到亚毫米波段数据,结合星族合成方法和尘埃模型,计算了星系的红外总光度.在此基础上,分别针对强恒星形成星系和弱恒星形成星系,研究了利用紫外光度、红外光度和Hα谱线计算得到的恒星形成率(Star Formation Rate,SFR)的差异以及导致差异的内在物理起因.发现对于恒星形成活动强的星系,这3种恒星形成率指针给出的结果基本一致,弥散较小、只是在高恒星形成率端,利用紫外光度算得的恒星形成率比利用Hα谱线流量算得的恒星形成率略微偏小;而在低恒星形成率端,紫外光度指针偏大于Hα谱线指针;红外光度指针与Hα谱线指针在两端无明显偏差.对弱恒星形成星系,紫外光度、Hα谱线和红外光度3种恒星形成率指针存在明显的差异,且弥散较大.利用紫外光度和Hα谱线计算得到的恒星形成率的弥散和系统偏差随着星系年龄、质量的增加而增大.系统偏差增大的主要原因是利用紫外连续谱斜率β定标恒星形成活动较弱星系的消光时,高估了这些星系的紫外消光,使得消光改正后的紫外光度偏大.另外,MPA/JHU(Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics/Johns Hopkins University)数据库中弱恒星形成星系的恒星形成率SFR(Hα)比真实值偏低.     

超新星在旋涡星系中的径向分布

本文研究了在1993年3月28日之前发现的899颗超新星（SNe）的样本．其中277颗SNe被用来研究超新星在其母星系中的径向分布．我们研究了四个星系样本中超新星在产生单个超新星（称为一般超新星）的星系及在产生多个超新星（称为多重超新星）的星系中的径向分布．这四个星系样本为：总旋涡星系样本，Sb～SbC星系样本，SC星系样本，Sc～Sd星系样本．研究的结果表明：一多重超新星比一般超新星在其母星系中具有更集中于星系核心（大多数恒星形成发生的地方）的倾向，说明星系中心的恒星形成活动会影响多重超新星事件的发生从而影响超新星的频率分布     

Disk Thicknesses and Some Parameters of 108 Non-Edge-On Spiral Galaxies

We present disk thicknesses, some other parameters and their statistics of 108 non-edge-on spiral galaxies. The method for determining the disk thickness is based on solving Poisson's equation for a disturbance of matter density in three-dimensional spiral galaxies. From the spiral arms found we could obtain the pitch angles, the inclination of the galactic disk, and the position of the innermost point (the forbidden region with radius r 0 to the galactic center) of the spiral arm, and finally the thickness.     

The Nature of Submillimetre Galaxies

I present a brief summary of the results from extensive multi-wavelength observations of the submillimetre-selected galaxies. I discuss the properties of this population, in particular their interpretation within the framework of our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

旋涡星系颜色梯度的研究进展

旋涡星系的颜色梯度反映了其星族构成沿径向的分布,包含了星系恒星形成历史的信息.因此,对旋涡星系颜色梯度的研究有助于理解星系的形成和演化过程.大部分旋涡星系存在负的颜色梯度,其主要原因是旋涡星系存在星族梯度.颜色梯度与星系的面亮度之间存在内禀的相关,表明质量面密度在星系的形成和演化过程中具有重要作用.     

Scale Heights of Non-Edge-on Spiral Galaxies

We present a method of calculating the scale height of non-edge-on spiral galaxies,together with a formula for errors.The method is based on solving Poisson's equation for a logarithmic disturbance of matter density in spiral galaxies.We show that the spiral arms can not extend to inside the“forbidden radius”γ_0,due to the effect of the finite thickness of the disk.The method is tested by re-calculating the scale heights of 71 northern spiral galaxies previously calculated by Ma,Peng & Gu. Our results differ from theirs by less than 9%.We also present the scale heights of a further 23 non-edge-on spiral galaxies.     

Dynamical Evolution of Barred Galaxies

Angular momentum redistribution within barred galaxies drives their dynamical evolution. Angular momentum is emitted mainly by near-resonant material in the bar region and absorbed by resonant material mainly in the outer disc and in the halo. This exchange determines the strength of the bar, the decrease of its pattern speed, as well as its morphology. If the galaxy has also a gaseous component and/or a companion or satellite, then these also take part in the angular momentum exchange. During the evolution a bar structure forms in the inner parts of the halo as well. This bar is shorter and fatter than the disc bar and stays so all through the simulation, although its length grows considerably with time. Viewed edge-on, the bar in the disc component acquires a boxy or peanut shape. I describe the families of periodic orbits that explain such structures and review the observations showing that boxy/peanut ‘bulges’ are in fact just bars seen edge-on.     

The Persistence of Warps in Spiral Galaxies with Massive Haloes

We study the persistence of warps in galactic discs in the presence of massive haloes. A disc is approximated by a set of massive rings, while a halo is represented by a conventional n -body simulation. We confirm the conclusion of Nelson &38; Tremaine that a halo responds strongly to an embedded precessing disc. This response invalidates the approximations made in the derivation of classical 'modified tilt' modes. We show that the response of the halo causes the line of nodes of a disc that starts from a modified tilt mode to wind up within a few dynamical times. We explain this finding in terms of the probable spectrum of true normal modes of a combined disc–halo system. The key physical point is that in each radial range the halo rapidly aligns with the disc, so calculations based on the assumption that, in the presence of a warped disc, the halo retains a regular spheroidal structure are based on a fatally flawed assumption.     

The Color-Magnitude Relations of Late-type Spiral Galaxies and Their Disks

The 395 late-type spiral galaxies brighter than 15^m in r-band are selected from the Data Release 2 of Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the colormagnitude relations of these galaxies and their disks are investigated. It is found that the colors g − r, r − z and g − z of these galaxies and their disks are strongly correlated with the r-band absolute magnitudes, i.e., the more luminous galaxies (or disks) have the redder colors than the less luminous galaxies (or disks). And the correlation of galaxies is stronger than that of their disks.     

Stellar Populations in Bulges of Spiral Galaxies

We present a few results of a work in progress tackling the radial spectroscopic properties of bulges of spiral galaxies. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.