Related papers: Galaxy Evolution: Internally or Externally Driven?
We examine the cosmic star formation rate (SFR) and its dependence on galaxy stellar mass over the redshift range 0.8 < z < 2 using data from the Gemini Deep Deep Survey (GDDS). The SFR in the most massive galaxies (M > 10^{10.8} M_sun) was…
Analyzing 24 mu m MIPS/Spitzer data and the [O II]3727 line of a sample of galaxies at 0.4 < z < 0.8 from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS), we investigate the ongoing star formation rate (SFR) and the specific star formation rate…
From the time the first stars formed over 13 billion years ago to the present, star formation has had an unexpectedly dynamic history. At first, the star formation rate density increased dramatically, reaching a peak 10 billion years ago…
The history of galaxy formation via star formation and stellar mass assembly rates is now known with some certainty, yet the connection between high redshift and low redshift galaxy populations is not yet clear. By identifying and studying…
I discuss recent theoretical work on the formation and evolution of galaxies paying particular attention to the ability of current models to make detailed comparisons with observations of the galaxy population both nearby and at high…
Observing massive galaxies at various redshifts is one of the most straightforward and direct approaches towards understanding galaxy formation. There is now largely a consensus that the massive galaxy (M_* > 10^11 M_0) population is fully…
We reconstruct the history of the cosmic star formation as well as the cosmic production of metals in the universe by means of detailed chemical evolution models for galaxies of different morphological types. We consider a picture of…
We investigate the environmental dependence of galaxies with star formation from a volume-limited sample of 4782 nearby field galaxy spectra extracted from the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey final data release. The environment is characterized…
The inner few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way harbours gas densities, pressures, velocity dispersions, an interstellar radiation field and a cosmic ray ionisation rate orders of magnitude higher than the disc; akin to the environment found…
Recent observations, as well as theoretical studies, have suggested that stellar cluster formation may depend on local and global environmental properties. In particular, the fraction of stars that form within long-lived bound clusters…
Starting with the assertion that the problem of isolated, single star formation is essentially solved, this paper examines some of the missing steps needed to go from there to understanding the star formation history of the Universe. Along…
Analyzing global starburst properties in various kinds of starburst and post-starburst galaxies and relating them to the properties of the star cluster populations they form, I explore the conditions for the formation of massive, compact,…
Deep galaxy counts are among the best constraints on the cosmic star formation history (SFH) of galaxies. The evolution of the star formation activity is followed on a wide range of redshifts (0< z < 4) covering most of the history of the…
We present a compilation of measurements of the stellar mass density as a function of redshift. Using this stellar mass history we obtain a star formation history and compare it to the instantaneous star formation history. For z<0.7 there…
Empirical star formation laws from the last 20 years are reviewed with a comparison to simulations. The current form in main galaxy disks has a linear relationship between the star formation rate per unit area and the molecular cloud mass…
We investigate whether the mean star formation activity of star-forming galaxies from z=0 to z=0.7 in the GOODS-S field can be reproduced by simple evolution models of these systems. In this case, such models might be used as first order…
The formation of the first generations of stars at redshifts z > 15-20 signaled the transition from the simple initial state of the universe to one of increasing complexity. We here review recent progress in understanding the assembly…
We present a study to determine how star formation contributes to galaxy growth since z=1.5 over five decades in galaxy stellar mass. We investigate the specific star formation rate (SSFR; star formation rate [SFR] per unit galaxy stellar…
The star formation rate in galaxies is well known to correlate with stellar mass (the `star-forming main sequence'). Here we extend this further to explore any additional dependence on galaxy surface brightness, a proxy for stellar mass…
(Abridged) In these lectures aimed for non-specialists, I review progress in understanding how galaxies form and evolve. Both the star formation history and assembly of stellar mass can be empirically traced from redshifts z~6 to the…