The rise and fall of kinematic phenomena in galaxies

For a long time, galaxy morphology was thought to be closely linked to the stellar kinematics: disk galaxies would exhibit ordered rotation, while elliptical galaxies would be dominated by random stellar motions. Over the past two decades, galaxy surveys using integral field spectroscopy (IFS) have revealed a much more complex kinematic landscape. Elliptical galaxies can have anything from classical non-rotational to regular rotational behavior. Some of them even feature kinematically distinct cores (KDCs), prolate rotation around their major rather than minor axis, or counter-rotating halos. Even some rare cases of disk galaxies can feature counter-rotating disks or kinematically distinct cores at their very centers. Understanding how these peculiar structures arise and which physical processes drive their evolution requires turning to theory, where cosmological simulations have proven invaluable.

In this project, you will investigate the formation and evolution of a selected kinematic phenomenon. Using cosmological simulations, you will identify galaxies exhibiting this phenomenon and trace their evolution through cosmic time to uncover its origins. Given the complexity of galaxy formation, this may involve tracking mergers, investigating star formation under extreme conditions, or even exploring the large-scale environment of the cosmic web. You will also have the opportunity to work with observational data and compare the simulation predictions with the real Universe.

This project is ideal for students interested in computational astrophysics and working with large datasets. If this sounds interesting to you or you would like to learn more about the project, please contact Lucas Valenzuela.
 

Image

The line-of-sight velocity map of a kinematically distinct core.