Stellar light distribution in nearby, low-mass dwarf galaxies

Project Description:

This project aims to study the distribution of stellar light in a sample of low-mass (dwarf) galaxies in galaxy groups. The student will learn how to perform structural decomposition of the galaxy light in these galaxies with archival HST imaging data using state-of-the-art image analysis tools such as GALFIT or IMFIT. The results from this exercise will form part of a much larger project which will be published in a journal article. Dwarf galaxies are the most abundant galaxies in the Universe, and within the framework of the ΛCDM galaxy formation paradigm, they are the building blocks of more massive galaxies. The presence/significance of various structural components, e.g., central bulge, disc, bars, spiral arms, rings, etc. in galaxies provide clues about their evolutionary history across cosmic times. Physical processes such as galaxy interactions, harassment, ram-pressure stripping, etc. are well-known to be dominant in galaxy group environments. Dwarf galaxies are more vulnerable to the effects of these processes since they typically reside in halos with shallow gravitational potential. A careful decomposition of these galaxies’ stellar light will unveil hidden stellar substructures, providing clues about their formation and evolution.

Research Area:

Astronomy

Project Level:

Honours

This Project Is Offered At The Following Node(s):

(NWU)

Special Requirements:

Willingness to learn and work hard. Knowledge of Python programming, basic bash scripting and statistics are desirable.