Statistics – Applications
Scientific paper
May 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006sptz.prop30496f&link_type=abstract
Spitzer Proposal ID #30496
Statistics
Applications
Scientific paper
The two fundamental channels for disk galaxy evolution are environmentally driven hierarchical clustering (galaxy mergers) and internally driven secular evolution. Ellipticals and "classical bulges" are believed to form by mergers. "Pseudobulges" are observed to be more disk-like than classical bulges: they are flatter, they rotate very rapidly, and they have embedded bars, spiral structure, and ongoing star formation. They are the likely products of slow ("secular") rearrangement of disks by bars and oval distortions. Note that pseudobulges can form only if it has been a long time since the last major merger. This qualitative picture is well supported by observations. But, what is the relative importance of mergers and secular evolution in building bulges -- quantitatively? We propose to measure star formation rates in classical bulges and pseudobulges using the far-infrared fluxes observed with MIPS. Additionally, we use mid-infared IRAC imaging to resolve star-forming substructure within these bulges. To measure star formation rates we use published warm dust SED calibrations (Dale and Helou 2002; Wu et al 2005) as well as any that are still under development. Our purpose is to measure pseudobulge growth rates in Sa, Sb, and Sbc galaxies, and to tie together star formation rates with other indicators of secular evolution. Estimating pseudobulge growth time is the necessary next step in determing the relative importance of major mergers and secular evolution in bulge formation. A key to our strategy is the choice of galaxy sample. We propose to observe matched triples of the nearest giant galaxies that have strong, weak, and no obvious driving agents for internal evolution; i.e. galaxies that are barred, globally oval, and unbarred, respectively. Our sample will provide a valuable augmentation of archive data, completing observations of triples where necessary. The result is to increase the return of previous investments for a wider variety of science applications.
Drory Niv
Fisher David
Kormendy John
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