Starburst History -- Connecting the Dots

Starburst history in individual galaxies must be consistent with the statistics of galaxies in bursting, quiescent star formation, or non-star-forming states. This investigation of 0<z<3 galaxies determines whether the individual and collective histories are consistent, and whether galaxies can be traced evolving over time using mass, specific star formation rate, and/or morphology.

Cosmic Star Formation History

Synthesis analysis: the star formation density history of the universe over 0<z<2 using GALEX UV, Far IR, and optical redshifts (photo and spectroscopic). Using the largest sample possible, subdivide SF History by galaxy properties: stellar mass, gas mass, star formation rate, specific star formation rate, SED, morphology, SF radius, stellar radius, recent starburst history, local galaxy density, extinction, SF mode [starburst, quiescent], presence of companions, etc.

Star Formation and Dust Reprocessing

A central and controversial question in galaxy evolution is the balance of energy emitted in the UV/optical and the Far IR/sub-mm bands. It has implications both for the history of star formation and how this history depends on the modality of star formation, quiescent or violent. We will use IRAS and GALEX to determine the joint FIR/UV luminosity function in the local universe and the corresponding star formation rate. This investigation will be extended to z ~ 1 using the deepest Galex imaging data together with far-IR data from Spitzer and a combination of photometric and spectroscopic redshifts (DEEP2, CDF-S, NOAO-DWFS, COSMOS).

Intergalactic Medium

Emission: GALEX deep images and spectroscopy provide the first opportunity to search for emission from the Intergalatic Medium in the low redshift universe with unprecedented sensitivity. This search will require new analysis tools designed to perform unbiased and targeted (w/priors) searches for Lyman alpha emission from the IGM either through direct detection or cross-correlation with group, filamentary, UV luminous objects, and other structures with 3-d distributions determined from redshift surveys. Compare IGM to the local UV luminosity density.

Absorption: GALEX spectroscopy of QSOs is yielding many Lyman Limit absorption systems. This project will explore the spatial distribution of LL systems and its relationship to the large scale structure traced by star forming galaxies.

This page last modified on 14 May 2002 11:16