Computer Science
Scientific paper
Jul 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002hst..prop.9458f&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #9458
Computer Science
Hst Proposal Id #9458
Scientific paper
The fossil record of galaxy formation and evolution is imprinted on the spatial distribution, ages and metallicities of galactic stellar populations. The observations proposed here build significantly upon our extensive ground-based and archival WFPC2 programs and aim to constrain the formation and evolution of our nearest large neighbour, M31. We propose deep imaging of 8 fields in the outer disk and halo, several of which have been identified from our panoramic ground-based CCD survey {covering 26 square degrees} to possess significant stellar density and/or potential metallicity variations. Deep colour-magnitude diagrams reaching 2-3 magnitudes below the horizontal branch will be constructed, allowing detailed characterization of the luminous evolved stellar populations via the red giant metallicity distribution, the luminous asymptotic giant branch, the horizontal branch morphology and the red clump, as well as the detection of a main-sequence that may be present from any younger component. Our primary goals are to: {i} quantify the stellar population variations associated with M31 halo substructure, including the newly- discovered giant stellar stream, and {ii} derive stringent constraints on the age and metallicity of stars in the far outer disk. These observations will directly address two key predictions of cold dark matter hierarchical galaxy formation models.
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