MSUM Physics & Astronomy Seminar: The Formation and Evolution of Cluster Galaxies
Friday, March 22 | 3-4 p.m. | HA 325
The Formation and Evolution of Cluster Galaxies
Presented by: Wayne Barkhouse – UND Physics & Astrophysics
A fundamental goal in the study of galaxy clusters is to understand how galaxies form and evolve, and to explore what impact the high-density environment has on their evolution. It is well established that galaxy morphology is correlated with local density such that the central cluster region is dominated by elliptical and S0 galaxies, while the outskirts of clusters contain a large fraction of spiral systems. Due to this dichotomy, galaxy clusters are believed to be built-up from the infall of galaxies from low-density regions outside the cluster. Since clusters have deep gravitational potential wells, they attract matter from surrounding less-dense regions and serve as sites for enhanced galaxy interactions. In this talk, I will describe our attempts to understand physical processes that affect the formation and evolution of galaxies in high-density environments.