Related papers: EMERGE: Constraining merging probabilities and tim…
We present a study of galaxy mergers up to $z=10$ using the Planck Millennium cosmological dark matter simulation and the {\tt GALFORM} semi-analytical model of galaxy formation. Utilising the full ($800$ Mpc)$^3$ volume of the simulation,…
Estimates of galaxy merger rates based on counts of close pairs typically assume that most of the observed systems will merge within a few hundred Myr (for projected pair separations <25 kpc/h). Here we investigate these assumptions using…
We explore the galaxy-galaxy merger rate with the empirical model for galaxy formation, Emerge. On average, we find that between $2$ per cent and $20$ per cent of massive galaxies ($\log_{10}(m_{*}/M_{\odot}) \geq 10.3$) will experience a…
We study how to measure the galaxy merger rate from the observed close pair count. Using a high-resolution N-body/SPH cosmological simulation, we find an accurate scaling relation between galaxy pair counts and merger rates down to a…
We compare mass-selected close pairs at z > 1 with the intrinsic galaxy merger rate in the Illustris Simulations. To do so, we construct three 140 arcmin^2 lightcone catalogs and measure pair fractions, finding that they change little or…
Galaxy mergers are critical events that influence galaxy evolution by driving processes such as enhanced star formation, quenching, and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity. However, constraining the timescales over which these processes…
Predicting the merger timescale ($\tau_{\rm merge}$) of merging dark matter halos, based on their orbital parameters and the structural properties of their hosts, is a fundamental problem in gravitational dynamics that has important…
The merger timescales of isolated low-mass pairs ($\rm 10^8<M_*<5\times10^9\,M_{\odot}$) on cosmologically motivated orbits have not yet been studied in detail, though isolated high-mass pairs ($\rm 5\times10^9<M_*<10^{11}\,M_{\odot}$) have…
The timescale for galaxies within merging dark matter halos to merge with each other is an important ingredient in galaxy formation models. Accurate estimates of merging timescales are required for predictions of astrophysical quantities…
We compare the use of galaxy asymmetry and pair proximity for measuring galaxy merger fractions and rates for a volume limited sample of 3184 galaxies with -21 < M(B) -5 log h < -18 mag. and 0.010 < z < 0.123 drawn from the Millennium…
Understanding the role of mergers in galaxy formation is one of the most outstanding problems in extragalactic astronomy. While we now have an idea for how the merger fraction evolves at redshifts z < 3, converting this merger fraction into…
We investigate the impact of hierarchical galaxy merging on the statistics of gravitational lensing of distant sources. Since no definite theoretical predictions for the merging history of luminous galaxies exist, we adopt a parametrized…
Galaxy merger timescales are crucial for understanding and modeling galaxy formation in our hierarchically structured Universe. However, previous studies have reported widely varying dependencies of merger timescales on initial orbital…
We study galaxy mergers using a high-resolution cosmological hydro/N-body simulation with star formation, and compare the measured merger timescales with theoretical predictions based on the Chandrasekhar formula. In contrast to Navarro et…
Galaxy mergers are expected to have a significant role in the mass assembly of galaxies in the early Universe, but there are very few observational constraints on the merger history of galaxies at $z>2$. We present the first study of galaxy…
Calculating the galaxy merger rate requires both a census of galaxies identified as merger candidates, and a cosmologically-averaged `observability' timescale T_obs(z) for identifying galaxy mergers. While many have counted galaxy mergers…
We present the results of a series of empirical computations regarding the role of major mergers in forming the stellar masses of modern galaxies based on measurements of galaxy merger and star formation histories from z~0.5-3. We…
As galaxy formation and evolution over long cosmic time-scales depends to a large degree on the structure of the universe, the assembly history of galaxies is potentially a powerful approach for learning about the universe itself. In this…
We present a detailed analysis of predicted galaxy-galaxy merger fractions and rates in the Millennium simulation and compare these with the most up to date observations of the same quantities up to z~3. We carry out our analysis by…
Timescales in astronomy comprise the largest range of any scientific discipline. In the construction of physical models, this circumstance may both be a blessing and a curse. For example, galaxy evolution occurs on typical timescales of…