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.     

The influence of mergings on galaxy evolution

The evolution of the galaxy mass function MF (and luminosity function LF) depending on merging of galaxies is discussed. The richness and masses of most massive (and most luminous) galaxies of a cluster are chosen as a characteristic of the bright edge of LF. Mergers are simulated by a Monte-Carlo method. The probability of merging depends on the masses of galaxies. The ratio of the current number of galaxies to the initial one plays the role of the time scale. Transformation to real time and redshift is realized with help of the Smoluchowsky kinetic equation (SE) solution, describing the merging process and making possible to find the dependence of the galaxy number on time. The dependencies of richness, masses and magnitude differences of most massive and brightest galaxies of a cluster on redshift have been obtained. Creation of cD-galaxy has been retraced on small redshifts. The masses of the second and less massive cluster galaxies grow, but after the creation of the cD-galaxy they begin to decrease. Comparison of obtained results with data of the catalogues is provided. Correspondence in mentioned dependencies is observed. This revised version was published online in August 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.     

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.     

Scaling relations of field spirals at intermediate redshift

In the last few years, galaxies at redshifts up to z ∼ 1 have become accessible for medium-resolved spectroscopy thanks to the new generation of 10 m-class telescopes. With kinematic and photometric information on spiral galaxies in this regime, well-known scaling relations like the Tully-Fisher relation (TFR) can be studied over half a Hubble time. By comparison to local samples, these studies facilitate simultaneous tests of the hierarchical merging scenario and stellar population models. Using the Very Large Telescope, we obtained spatially resolved rotation curves of 78 spiral galaxies in the FORS Deep Field (FDF), covering all Hubble types from Sa to Sm/Irr at redshifts 0.1 < z < 1.0. We find evidence for a B-band luminosity increase of up to 2 mag for low-mass spirals, whereas the most massive galaxies are of the same luminosity as their local counterparts. In effect, the TFR slope decreases significantly. This would explain the discrepant results of previous observational studies. We also present the velocity-size relation and compare it to the predictions of numerical simulations based on the hierarchical merging scenario. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Correlation between baryon mass and intergalactic gas temperature in nearby galaxy clusters

We measured the correlation between baryon mass and intracluster gas temperature in nearby galaxy clusters selected from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. The mass of the intracluster gas was determined directly from an analysis of X-ray images. A correlation was found between the gas mass and the mass of the cluster stellar matter, which was used to determine the total baryon mass (i.e., gas + stars). The mass was measured within the radii corresponding to overdensities of 324 and 500 relative to the mean baryon density inferred from the theory of primordial nucleosynthesis. The measured correlation between baryon mass and temperature is close to that predicted by a self-similar theory of cluster formation: M ∝ T ^3/2.     

Semi-analytic modelling of galaxy formation: the local Universe

Using semi-analytic models of galaxy formation, we investigate galaxy properties such as the Tully–Fisher relation, the B - and K -band LFs, cold gas contents, sizes, metallicities and colours, and compare our results with observations of local galaxies. We investigate several different recipes for star formation and supernova feedback, including choices that are similar to the treatment by Kauffmann, White & Guiderdoni and Cole et al., as well as some new recipes. We obtain good agreement with all of the key local observations mentioned above. In particular, in our best models, we simultaneously produce good agreement with both the observed B - and K -band LFs and the I -band Tully–Fisher relation. Improved cooling and supernova feedback modelling, inclusion of dust extinction and an improved Press–Schechter model all contribute to this success. We present results for several variants of the CDM family of cosmologies, and find that models with values of Ω₀≃0.3–0.5 give the best agreement with observations.     

Surveying the sky with the Arcminute MicroKelvin Imager: expected constraints on galaxy cluster evolution and cosmology

We discuss prospects for cluster detection via the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) effect in a blank field survey with the interferometer array, the Arcminute MicroKelvin Imager (AMI). Clusters of galaxies selected in the SZ effect probe cosmology and structure formation with little observational bias, because the effect measures integrated gas pressure directly, and does so independently of cluster redshift.
We use hydrodynamical simulations in combination with the Press–Schechter expression to simulate SZ cluster sky maps. These are used with simulations of the observation process to gauge the expected SZ cluster counts. Even with a very conservative choice of parameters we find that AMI will discover at least several tens of clusters every year with     the numbers depend on factors such as the mean matter density, the density fluctuation power spectrum and cluster gas evolution. The AMI survey itself can distinguish between these to some degree, and parameter degeneracies are largely eliminated given optical and X-ray follow-up of these clusters; this will also permit direct investigation of cluster physics and what drives the evolution.     

The evolution of disk galaxies in clusters

We are carrying out a programme to measure the evolution of the stellar and dynamical masses and M/L ratios for a sizeable sample of morphologically-classified disk galaxies in rich galaxy clusters at 0.2 < z < 0.9. Using FORS2 at the VLT we are obtaining rotation curves for the cluster spirals so that their Tully-Fisher relation can be studied as a function of redshift and compared with that of field spirals. We already have rotation curves for ∼ 10 cluster spirals at z = 0.83, and 25 field spirals at lower redshifts and we plan to increase this sample by one order of magnitude. We present here the first results of our study, and discuss the implications of our data in the context of current ideas and models of galaxy formation and evolution. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The evolution of groups of very light stars in the galaxy

The evolution of the velocity distribution function of a group of zero mass bodies in the gravitational field of a stellar cluster or a galactic disk is considered. We use the model of a purely discontinuous random process.