Probing galaxy formation in the local universe: dwarf irregular galaxies and their globular cluster systems as galactic building blocks

• Applicant: Dr. Iskren Y. Georgiev
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2009 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 98116682

The assembly history of galaxies remains one of the most pressing questions in astrophysics to be solved today. In the currently popular hierarchical merging scenario, massive galaxies are believed to grow via numerous mergers. Dwarf irregular (dIrr) galaxies are widely regarded as being closest in resemblence to their pre-galactic building blocks. Hence, a study of the old globular clusters (GCs) in dIrr galaxies (whose properties reflect the physical conditions at the time of their early formation) and a comparison with GCs in massive galaxies can be used to quantify the contribution of dlrr galaxies to the assembly of massive present-day galaxies and their globular cluster systems (GCS). An excellent example for the need of such a study is the GCS of our Galaxy, because it is found to harbor a sub-population of GCs whose properties (colors, luminosities, horizontal branch morphologies, structural parameters and orbital kinematics) suggest that they might have formed in low-mass satellites and were later incorporated into the Milky Way GCS.The goal of the project is to investigate the properties of GCs in dlrr galaxies. This will allow to 1) constrain the contribution of dlrrs to the assembly of GCSs in massive galaxies; 2) probe the origin of chemically peculiar GCs in our Galaxy; 3) investigate the puzzling mass-metallicity relation among metal-poor GCs; 4) assess horizontal branch morphologies for GCs in dlrrs.Here support to achieve the science goals of the research programme is requested. The high level and diversity of astronomical research at the Argelander Institut für Astronomie (AlfA) of the University of Bonn will provide an excellent environment for this project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants