Starformation and stellar populations in nearby galaxies

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ralf-Jürgen Dettmar
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2001 to 2002
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5329728

Observations to be conducted at Calar Alto Observatory have the following goals:1) We propose to derive the structure and stellar composition for a sample of low surface brightness galaxies (LSBs) by means of a photometric study in broadband filters. This will enable us to address the problem of the origin and evolution for this class of galaxies.2) Imaging at optical and NIR wavelengths will be used to study the stellar population of the central regions in disk galaxies in order to reveal the interplay between a bar and the bulge component. 3) The comparison of H_alpha narrowband imaging and radio-continuum measurements will allow us to examine the star-formation on larger scales in disk galaxies and to search for a correlation of magnetic field structures with actual regions of star formation.4) Studying the very outer parts of disk galaxies provide us a unique laboratory to characterise star formation in a more quiescent environment. This will be done by taking very deep broadband images of the truncation region of face-on galaxies hitherto only observed in the edge-on geometry.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants