Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies
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University of Toledo / OhioLINK
2015
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1449827923 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-toledo14498279232021-08-03T06:34:23Z Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies Mulia, Alexander John Astronomy Astrophysics Physics interacting galaxies merging galaxies galaxy evolution tidal tails star clusters star formation NGC 520 NGC 2623 NGC 3256 Galaxy mergers were common in the early universe. To better understand this critical step in galaxy evolution, we perform detailed studies of three nearby merging systems. Using images from the Hubble Space Telescope, we identify hundreds of star clusters in these systems, most of which formed as a result of a merger. By studying these clusters, we are able to constrain the properties of their host galaxies. These properties include: the timescale of the interaction, morphology of the merger's progenitor galaxies, and the conditions in which stars and clusters formed. We find clusters in all tidal tails of our galaxy sample, even tails that were previously reported to be clusterless. Ages of clusters are similar to ages of their host tidal tails as predicted from simulations. We also find a color gradient across some tails, indicative of a gradient in ages that suggest star formation takes place primarily in the center of the tails, where gas is likely densest. In addition, cluster ages allow us to probe the star formation histories in these systems by predicting past SFRs in various regions of the galaxies using a new method involving the cluster mass function. The mergers also present an interesting environment to study star clusters themselves. We find that the formation and evolution of star clusters in mergers fits the ``quasi-universal'' picture of clusters seen in many other galaxies. 2015 English text University of Toledo / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1449827923 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1449827923 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Astronomy Astrophysics Physics interacting galaxies merging galaxies galaxy evolution tidal tails star clusters star formation NGC 520 NGC 2623 NGC 3256 |
| spellingShingle |
Astronomy Astrophysics Physics interacting galaxies merging galaxies galaxy evolution tidal tails star clusters star formation NGC 520 NGC 2623 NGC 3256 Mulia, Alexander John Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies |
| author |
Mulia, Alexander John |
| author_facet |
Mulia, Alexander John |
| author_sort |
Mulia, Alexander John |
| title |
Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies |
| title_short |
Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies |
| title_full |
Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies |
| title_fullStr |
Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies |
| title_sort |
stellar populations in nearby merging galaxies |
| publisher |
University of Toledo / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2015 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1449827923 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT muliaalexanderjohn stellarpopulationsinnearbymerginggalaxies |
| _version_ |
1719439413886320640 |