Events at Physics |
Events on Thursday, December 16th, 2010
- Astronomy Colloquium
- Star Formation and Feedback in High-Redshift Galaxies
- Time: 3:30 pm
- Place: 4421 Sterling Hall
- Speaker: Kristian Finlator, UC-Santa Barbara
- Abstract: The last decade has seen an explosion in observational constraints on galaxy growth at high redshifts (z>2). These data offer a wealth of insight into fundamental questions such as the roles of kinetic and photoionization feedback and the relative duty cycles of smooth versus bursty star formation. Over the same period, advances in computing have enabled cosmological hydrodynamic simulations to incorporate remarkably detailed treatments for galaxy growth and feedback processes in representative cosmological volumes. Using comparisons between predictions from these models and observations of the luminosity functions, colors, metallicities, and clustering properties of young galaxies, I will show that recent observations argue strongly in favor of high-redshift star formation histories that are predominantly smoothly-rising and regulated by strong outflows. I will discuss areas that are ripe for further inquiry on both theoretical and observational fronts.<br>
- Host: Prof Christi Tremonti