SHAO Astrophysics Colloquium

Speaker: Alex Pettitt (Hokkaido University)

Time: Mar 08(Thursday), 3pm

Location: Lecture hall, 3rd floor
Title: What drives the morphological features of disc galaxies?

Abstract: Many disc galaxies are characterised by their beautiful and striking bar and spiral arm features. However, there is still a great deal of mystery surrounding how these features are formed and maintained. In this talk we will review some of the key proponents of spiral arm generation; their strengths and weaknesses. Special attention will be given to how interactions between galaxies can drive different bar and armed structures, what impact these have on the properties of the interstellar medium and star formation. Such diagnostics could provide useful indicators for future observations of nearby galaxies, helping to understand the origin of their morphological features. We will close with a closer look at a few specific nearby galaxies and ongoing work into understanding their structure.