Quantifying the Laws of Star Formation on Galactic Scales

AST-0307482 Zaritsky这项研究利用理论和观测两方面的进展，通过比较模拟的恒星形成历史和观测到的恒星形成历史，来研究局部群(LG)星系背后的物理特性。大规模、高分辨率的N体模拟将得到较小的、详细的气体动力学模拟的补充，这些模拟可以跟踪第一步确定的类LG结构的进展。结果将与观测到的LG星系的运动学和光度学性质进行比较。这项工作应该涉及LG星系的恒星形成和化学富集史，不同恒星群的起源，LG星系中卫星星系的性质，空间和轨道分布，以及目前LG质量函数的起源和性质。该项目将公开使用的算法和模拟的电影(这在教育上非常有效)。这项研究还将为不止一篇博士论文做出贡献。

AST-0307482ZaritskyThis research takes advantage of progress on both theoretical and observational fronts to investigate the physics behind the properties of Local Group (LG) galaxies, by comparing simulated star formation histories to their observed counterparts. Large-scale, high-resolution, N-body simulations will be complemented by smaller, detailed gas-dynamical simulations, which can follow the progress of LG-like structures identified in the first step. The results will be compared to the observed kinematic and photometric properties of LG galaxies. This work should address the star formation and chemical enrichment histories of LG galaxies, the origins of different stellar populations, the properties, spatial and orbital distribution, of satellite galaxies in the LG, and the origin and nature of the current LG mass function.The project will make public both the algorithms used and movies of the simulations (which are educationally quite effective). The research will also contribute to more than one doctoral thesis.