Seeking the signatures of cosmology in galaxy properties

Martin Stringer (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias)

September 14, 2015

–

Abstract: This seminar will explore how cosmological parameters and fundamental physical constants combine to produce emergent trends in galaxy properties, drawing on both accessible analytic physical arguments and analysis of the latest, large- scale simulations of structure formation. The discussion will link the interplay between gravitational collapse and the opposing supernovae to the distribution of galactic stellar masses that we observe, and show how these limits on stellar mass content translate to corresponding constraints on galactic radii. These combined connections together imply that cosmic evolution should be visible in evolving galactic size trends, which we assess against results from the latest surveys. Moving on from general trends, these arguments can then be applied to the association of particular systems with conjectured low- or high-redshift counterparts, in particular to the likely origin and whereabouts of the most compact massive galaxies.