Thesis

What are the physical drivers of galaxy formation and evolution?

• Call:

  IDPASC Portugal - PHD Programme 2014

• Academic Year:

  2014 /2015

• Domain:

  Astrophysics

• Supervisor:

  David Sobral

• Co-Supervisor:

• Institution:

  Faculdade de Ciências - Universidade de Lisboa

• Host Institution:

  Faculdade de Ciências - Universidade de Lisboa

• Abstract:

  This project aims at significantly contributing towards one of the biggest unsolved questions/challenges in Astronomy/Astrophysics: - Why were galaxies at the peak of the star formation history so much more active than typical galaxies now, and what are the main physical drivers of galaxy evolution? http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/20/science/space/births-of-stars-declining-sharply-astronomers-say.html?_r=0 http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/11/13/has-the-universe-almost-stopped-producing-new-stars/ The student will make significant contributions towards advancing our knowledge by extending the team's samples of star-forming galaxies across cosmic times (observations in Bootes, SA22, ELAIS N1 have been completed to add to the COSMOS and UDS catalogues already published by Sobral et al. 2012, 2013a) and fully exploring them with follow-up observations using new, powerful instruments. The thesis will allow the student to work and lead various sub-projects, to work on a truly international environment, and to observe on the best telescopes in the World (Mauna Kea - Hawaii; VLT and La Silla - Chile; WHT and INT - Canary Islands). Pilot/first observations have already been conducted, yielding strong results. Taking advantage of the very significant amount of telescope time we have already been awarded (and will be applying for) as a PI (25 approved proposals on some of the most competitive facilities such as the 8-m Subaru or the ESO/VLT), but also as a Co-I (including ALMA time) and together with many collaborators in the USA, UK, Netherlands, Canada, Chile, Japan and Portugal, the student will be in an ideal position to explore the uniquely large samples of very distant galaxies (selected with the same method, over well-defined ages of the Universe) to understand exactly how/why galaxies like our own formed and how/why they have evolved in the way they did. With new instrumentation/telescopes becoming available, the timing could not be better to explore the largest samples of star-forming galaxies and clearly pin-point what are the drivers of galaxy formation and evolution in the last 11 billion years of cosmic time.