Related papers: Elliptical galaxies/stellar halos connection
In order to understand the physical mechanisms at work during the formation of massive early-type galaxies, we performed six zoomed hydrodynamical cosmological simulations of halos in the mass range 4.3 10^12 < M_vir < 8.0 10^13 M_sun at…
We analyse N-body galaxy merger experiments involving disc galaxies. Mergers of disc-bulge-halo models are compared to those of bulge-less, disc-halo models to quantify the effects of the central bulge on the merger dynamics and on the…
We observed twelve nearby HI -detected early-type galaxies (ETGs) of stellar mass $\sim 10^{10}M\odot \leq M_* \leq \sim 10^{11}M\odot$ with the Mitchell Integral-Field Spectrograph, reaching approximately three half-light radii in most…
We study the origin of the scaling relations of early-type galaxies (ETGs) by constructing detailed models of the stellar dynamics for the K-band selected, volume-limited ATLAS3D sample of 263 nearby ETGs, spanning a large range of masses…
Massive early-type galaxies have undergone dramatic structural evolution over the last 10 Gyr. A companion paper shows that nearby elliptical galaxies with M*>1.3x10^{11} M_sun generically contain three photometric subcomponents: a compact…
Theoretical considerations and observational data support the idea that mergers were more frequent in the past. At high redshifts, violent interactions and mergers may be implicated in the origin of Lyman-break galaxies, sub-mm starbursts,…
The halo masses of nearby individual elliptical galaxies can be estimated by using the kinematics of their stars, planetary nebulae, and globular clusters -- ideally in combination. With currently improving coverage of galaxies of ordinary…
Theoretical models are vital for exploring the galaxy merger process, which plays a crucial role in the evolution of galaxies. Recent advances in modelling have placed tight constraints on the buildup of stellar material in galaxies across…
We find a strong correlation between the effective radius of the largest early-type galaxies in compact groups of galaxies and the velocity dispersion of the groups. The lack of a similar correlation for late type galaxies is supportive of…
We present the results of a series of gas dynamical cosmological simulations of the formation of individual massive field galaxies in the standard concordance \LCDM and in a \LWDM cosmology. The galaxies form in an initial burst of star…
A major goal of contemporary astrophysics is understanding the origin of the most massive galaxies in the universe, particularly nearby ellipticals and spirals. Theoretical models of galaxy formation have existed for many decades, although…
Relic galaxies are massive, compact, quiescent objects observed in the local Universe that have not experienced any significant interaction episodes or merger events since about $z = 2$, remaining relatively unaltered since their formation.…
We present results for the chemical evolution of the Galactic bulge in the context of an inside-out formation model of the Galaxy. A supernova-driven wind was also included in analogy with elliptical galaxies. New observations of chemical…
The current evidence about the age of stellar populations in elliptical galaxies is reviewed. The case for the bulk of stars in galactic spheroids (ellipticals and bulges) having formed at high redshift (z>~3) is now compelling, both for…
We study the total density distribution in the central regions ($<\, 1$ effective radius, $R_{\rm e}$) of early-type galaxies (ETGs), using data from the SPIDER survey. We model each galaxy with two components (dark matter halo + stars),…
One of the most protracted problems in astronomy has been understanding the evolution of galaxy morphology. Much discussion has surrounded how lenticular galaxies may form a bridging population between elliptical and spiral galaxies.…
Elliptical galaxies are the main contributors to the chemical enrichment of the intracluster and intergalactic medium; understanding how they form and evolve enables us to get important hints on the amounts of energy and processed matter…
Understanding the formation of globular clusters will help us to constrain the evolutionary history of galaxies. For mergers on-going today, it appears that the number of newly created proto-globulars varies with the progenitor types and…
I set the stage for discussion of the stellar populations in interacting galaxies by looking back over the slow development of our understanding of these systems. From early anecdotal collections, to systematic cataloging, and finally to…
Galaxies cover a wide range of masses and star formation histories. In this review, I summarize some of the evolutionary key features of common galaxy types. At the high-mass end, very rapid, efficient early star formation is observed,…