Formation of gas disks in merging galaxies

Observations indicate that much of the interstellar gas in merging galaxies may settle into extended gaseous disks. Here, I present simulations of disk formation in mergers of gas-rich galaxies. Up to half of the total gas settles into embedded disks; the most massive instances result from encounters in which both galaxies are inclined to the orbital plane. These disks are often warped, many have rather complex kinematics, and roughly a quarter have counter-rotating or otherwise decoupled central components. Disks typically grow from the inside out; infall from tidal tails may continue disk formation over long periods of time.Comment: Submitted to MNRAS. 15 pages, 12 B&W figures, 1 color figure. See http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~barnes/fogdimg.html for versions with high-resolution figures, and http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~barnes/research/gassy_mergers/index.html for animations of the simulation

Exertion (and What Follows)

Where do I even begin to discuss my process? As with all things artistic, it comes from experiences deep within, that manifest themselves over time. So, Exertion was several years, if not a lifetime, in the making. I had always been an anxious child all my life, but my experiences with mental illness didn’t truly begin until my freshman year of high school. From then on, it was a constant mixture of depression, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts, and how to navigate through adolescence with these in mind. They have become severe a couple of times, but fortunately I was able to receive professional help, and still continue to receive professional help as I navigate this journey. Depression is something that is so hard to put into words, and the imposter syndrome associated with it is incredibly frustrating. As I talk about it, sometimes I feel like I’m lying to people, or faking it, and that I don’t deserve the help and lenience I receive. It’s terrible. I wanted to show people what it is like