Special Universe Talk: Witnessing the Build-Up of Distant Galaxy Clusters in the (Sub)Millimeter Regime

by Helmut Dannerbauer (Instituto de Astrofísicas de Canarias)

Monday 20 Aug 2018, 14:00 → 14:45 Europe/Berlin

seminar room, basement (Universe Cluster, Boltzmannstr. 2, Garching)

Abstract: In order to understand galaxy formation it is crucial to obtain sensitive observations of the emission of dust which constrains the bolometric luminosity and the molecular gas content which constrains the on-going star formation or AGN activity and the future potential of the galaxy to grow. Constraining the growth of ensemble of galaxies in the distant universe is one of the primary goals of current and planned (sub)mm facilities such as ALMA or SPICA. Galaxies in local clusters are significantly affected by environmental effects. However, we do not yet know when these physical processes are initiated and what mechanisms in clusters directly impact the course of galaxy evolution. Helmut will present their extensive on-going observations of the cold interstellar medium of a galaxy cluster in formation at z=2.2 with ALMA and the Australian Telescope Compact Array. The presented study enables them to investigate the environmental dependency of the amount of cold molecular gas, the star formation efficiency and the formation of elliptical galaxies which dominate local galaxy clusters. 

Helmut is a Cluster guest. Local host: Rob Ivison (ESO)