Are dwarf galaxy properties a sequence of time or of environment?

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Eva K. Grebel, since 1/2019
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2018 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 394551440

Our proposed project uses new observations and simulations, as well as new approaches for their analysis, in order to systematically investigate what set the stellar appearance and dynamics of today's dwarf galaxy population. Were many dwarf galaxies already born with low spin, making them a separate species from today's typical star-forming dwarf galaxies? Or did both start out the same and only external influence brought them onto separate paths of evolution? To address this question, it is necessary to define, from cosmological simulations, which present-day environmental quantities correlate best with the history of parent halos that a galaxy went through, or the number of tidal interactions it has experienced. Observational galaxy characteristics can then be related to those quantities and can thus be interpreted in terms of an evolving, not a static, environment. The requested postdoc will work toward expanding the number of high-quality datasets for dwarf galaxy dynamics and spatially resolved stellar populations to various environments. S/he will systematically investigate correlations with various local and global environmental quantities, interpret these based on the time evolution of dwarf galaxy populations in cosmological simulations, and establish new diagnostics for the impact of present and past environment on galaxy evolution.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Privatdozent Dr. Thorsten Lisker, until 12/2018