Related papers: Evolution of the ISM and Galactic Activity
In this paper, basic observational properties of elliptical galaxies such as the integrated spectra, the chemical abundances and the enhancement of $\alpha$-elements inferred from broad-band colors and line strength indices $Mg_2$ and $< Fe…
Until recently, simulations that modeled entire galaxies were restricted to an isothermal or fixed 2- or 3-phase interstellar medium (ISM). This obscured the full role of the ISM in shaping the observed galactic-scale star formation…
Galaxy interactions and mergers play a significant, but still debated and poorly understood role in the star formation history of galaxies. Numerical and theoretical models cannot yet explain the main properties of merger-induced…
Recent evidence based independently on spectral line strengths and dynamical modelling point towards a non-universal stellar Initial Mass Function (IMF), probably implying an excess of low-mass stars in elliptical galaxies with a high…
The wavelength dependences of interstellar extinction and polarization, supplemented by observed elemental abundances and the spectrum of infrared emission from dust heated by starlight, strongly constrain dust models. One dust model that…
The interstellar medium (ISM) can be thought of as the galactic atmosphere which fills the space between stars. When clouds within the ISM collapse, stars are born. When the stars die, they return their matter to the surrounding gas.…
Large galaxies harbor massive central black holes and their feedback causes a substantial impact in their evolution. Recently, observations suggested that dwarf galaxies might host black holes in their centers, but with lower masses…
Compelling evidence associates the nuclei of active galaxies and massive starbursts. The symbiosis between a compact nuclear starburst stellar cluster and a massive black hole can self-consistently explain the properties of active nuclei.…
There is a strong connection between the formation of a disk galaxy and the properties of the interstellar medium (ISM). Theoretical work has typically either focused on the cosmological buildup of a galaxy with a relatively crude model for…
Cool, evolved stars are the main source of chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium (ISM), and understanding their mass loss and structure offers a unique opportunity to study the cycle of matter in the Universe. Pulsation,…
We consider the lifecycle of dust introduced into the hot interstellar medium in isolated elliptical galaxies. Dust grains are ejected into galactic-scale cooling flows in large ellipticals by normal mass loss from evolving red giants.…
Galactic winds in dwarf galaxies are driven by the energy released by supernova explosions and stellar winds following an intense episode of star formation, which create an over-pressured cavity of hot gas. Although the luminosity of the…
The evolution of galactic disks from their early stages is dominated by gasdynamical effects such as gas infall, galactic fountains, and galactic outflows, and further more. The influence of these processes is only understandable in the…
When and how did galaxies form and their metals accumulate? Over the last decade, this has moved from an archeological question to a live investigation: there is now a broad picture of the evolution of galaxies in dark matter halos: their…
This chapter reviews the nature of turbulence in the Galactic interstellar medium (ISM) and its connections to the star formation (SF) process. The ISM is turbulent, magnetized, self-gravitating, and is subject to heating and cooling…
It is well established that between 380000 and 1 billion years after the Big Bang the Inter Galactic Medium (IGM) underwent a "phase transformation" from cold and fully neutral to warm (~10^4 K) and ionized. Whether this phase…
The dust component of the interstellar medium (ISM) has been extensively studied in the past decades. Late-type stars have been assumed as the main source of dust to the ISM, but recent observations show that supernova remnants may play a…
Studies of the molecular interstellar medium that fuels star formation and supermassive black hole growth in galaxies at cosmological distances have undergone tremendous progress over the past few years. Based on the detection of molecular…
By means of chemo-photometric models for galaxies of different morhological types, we have carried out a detailed study of the history of element production by spheroidal and dwarf irregular galaxies. Spheroidal galaxies suffer a strong and…
A significant step forward in the understanding of Planetary Nebula (PN) formation can be achieved by exploring the connection of PN with stellar evolution. In particular, the initial mass of the star plays a crucial role, as it determines…