Computer Science – Graphics
Scientific paper
Jul 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006hst..prop10904t&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #10904. Cycle 15
Computer Science
Graphics
Scientific paper
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer GALEX has discovered the existence of extended UV-disk XUV-disk galaxies. This class of intriguing spiral galaxies is distinguished by UV-bright regions of star formation located at extreme galactocentric radii, commonly reaching many times the optical extent of each target. XUV-disks represent a population of late-type galaxies still actively building, or significantly augmenting, their stellar disk in the outer, low-density environment. Prior to GALEX, such regions were considered to be far more stable against star formation than now realized. Our work on these targets has led to the recognition of the XUV phenomenon as probing a diverse population of galaxies which, although having certain commonality in terms of their present XUV star formation, have apparently experienced different star formation histories as judged by their outer disk UV-optical colors and morphology. In ordinary spirals, disk formation occurred at a much earlier epoch, making today's XUV-disks useful templates for commonplace, high z galaxies. The diverse XUV-disks in our sample may represent snapshots of different phases in the disk building process. We seek to characterize the demographics of star forming regions occupying this environmental range, especially in contrast to their inner disk counterparts. HST imaging is needed to accurately characterize the massive stars and clusters which have, in fact, managed to form. The GALEX observations are limited by 5" resolution. Deep ACS FUV, B, V, I, and H-alpha imaging along with parallel WFPC2 data will allow: 1 photometric classification of the OB star population, 2 constraint on the cluster mass function and age distribution, 3 critical accounting for possible leakage of Lyman continuum photons in a porous ISM or an IMF change, and 4 population synthesis modeling of the field SFH on Gyr timescales. We benefit from extensive archival HST observations of our target galaxies, although the outer disk has yet to be probed.
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