The formation of young B/PS bulges in edge-on barred galaxies

We report about the fact that the stellar population that is born in the gas inflowing towards the central regions can be vertically unstable leading to a B/PS feature remarkably bluer that the surrounding bulge. Using new chemodynamical simulations we show that this young population does not remain as flat as the gaseous nuclear disc and buckles out of the plane to form a new boxy bulge. We show that such a young B/PS bulge can be detected in colour maps.Comment: 2 pages, 5 figures, to appear in IAU Symposium 245, Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Bulges, M. Bureau, E. Athanassoula, and B. Barbuy (eds.), Oxford, 16-20 July 200

Metallicity of high stellar mass galaxies with signs of merger events

We focus on an analysis of galaxies of high stellar mass and low metallicity. We cross-correlated the Millenium Galaxy Catalogue (MGC) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) galaxy catalogue to provide a sample of MGC objects with high resolution imaging and both spectroscopic and photometric information available in the SDSS database. For each galaxy in our sample, we conducted a systematic morphological analysis by visual inspection of MGC images using their luminosity contours. The galaxies are classified as either disturbed or undisturbed objects. We divide the sample into three metallicity regions, within wich we compare the properties of disturbed and undisturbed objects. We find that the fraction of galaxies that are strongly disturbed, indicative of being merger remnants, is higher when lower metallicity objects are considered. The three bins analysed consist of approximatively 15%, 20%, and 50% disturbed galaxies (for high, medium, and low metallicity, respectively). Moreover, the ratio of the disturbed to undisturbed relative distributions of the population age indicator, Dn(4000), in the low metallicity bin, indicates that the disturbed objects have substantially younger stellar populations than their undisturbed counterparts. In addition, we find that an analysis of colour distributions provides similar results, showing that low metallicity galaxies with a disturbed morphology are bluer than those that are undisturbed. The bluer colours and younger populations of the low metallicity, morphologically disturbed objects suggest that they have experienced a recent merger with an associated enhanced star formation rate. [abridged]Comment: Astronomy & Astrophysics, in pres

Clumpy Disc and Bulge Formation

We present a set of hydrodynamical/Nbody controlled simulations of isolated gas rich galaxies that self-consistently include SN feedback and a detailed chemical evolution model, both tested in cosmological simulations. The initial conditions are motivated by the observed star forming galaxies at z ~ 2-3. We find that the presence of a multiphase interstellar media in our models promotes the growth of disc instability favouring the formation of clumps which in general, are not easily disrupted on timescales compared to the migration time. We show that stellar clumps migrate towards the central region and contribute to form a classical-like bulge with a Sersic index, n > 2. Our physically-motivated Supernova feedback has a mild influence on clump survival and evolution, partially limiting the mass growth of clumps as the energy released per Supernova event is increased, with the consequent flattening of the bulge profile. This regulation does not prevent the building of a classical-like bulge even for the most energetic feedback tested. Our Supernova feedback model is able to establish a self-regulated star formation, producing mass-loaded outflows and stellar age spreads comparable to observations. We find that the bulge formation by clumps may coexit with other channels of bulge assembly such as bar and mergers. Our results suggest that galactic bulges could be interpreted as composite systems with structural components and stellar populations storing archaeological information of the dynamical history of their galaxy.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS - Aug. 20, 201

On high-accuracy L∞-stable IMEX schemes for scalar hyperbolic multi-scale equations

We present a framework to build high-accuracy IMEX schemes that fulfill the maximum principle, applied to a scalar hyperbolic multi-scale equation. Motivated by the findings in [Gottlieb, Shu, Tadmor, 2001] that implicit R-K schemes are not L∞-stable, our scheme, for which we can prove the L ∞ stability, is based on a convex combination between a first-order and a class of second-order IMEX schemes. We numerically demonstrate the advantages of our scheme, especially for discontinuous problems, and give a MOOD procedure to increase the accuracy

GalPak3D: A Bayesian parametric tool for extracting morpho-kinematics of galaxies from 3D data

We present a method to constrain galaxy parameters directly from three-dimensional data cubes. The algorithm compares directly the data with a parametric model mapped in $x,y,\lambda$ coordinates. It uses the spectral lines-spread function (LSF) and the spatial point-spread function (PSF) to generate a three-dimensional kernel whose characteristics are instrument specific or user generated. The algorithm returns the intrinsic modeled properties along with both an `intrinsic' model data cube and the modeled galaxy convolved with the 3D-kernel. The algorithm uses a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach with a nontraditional proposal distribution in order to efficiently probe the parameter space. We demonstrate the robustness of the algorithm using 1728 mock galaxies and galaxies generated from hydrodynamical simulations in various seeing conditions from 0.6" to 1.2". We find that the algorithm can recover the morphological parameters (inclination, position angle) to within 10% and the kinematic parameters (maximum rotation velocity) to within 20%, irrespectively of the PSF in seeing (up to 1.2") provided that the maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is greater than $\sim3$ pixel$^{-1}$ and that the ratio of the galaxy half-light radius to seeing radius is greater than about 1.5. One can use such an algorithm to constrain simultaneously the kinematics and morphological parameters of (nonmerging) galaxies observed in nonoptimal seeing conditions. The algorithm can also be used on adaptive-optics (AO) data or on high-quality, high-SNR data to look for nonaxisymmetric structures in the residuals.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted to publication in AJ, revised version after proofs corrections. Algorithm available at http://galpak.irap.omp.e

A Sagittarius-Induced Origin for the Monoceros Ring

The Monoceros ring is a collection of stars in nearly-circular orbits at roughly 18 kpc from the Galactic center. It may have originated (i) as the response of the disc to perturbations excited by satellite companions or (ii) from the tidal debris of a disrupted dwarf galaxy. The metallicity of Monoceros stars differs from that of disc stars at comparable Galactocentric distances, an observation that disfavours the first scenario. On the other hand, circular orbits are difficult to accommodate in the tidal-disruption scenario, since it requires a satellite which at the time of disruption was itself in a nearly circular orbit. Such satellite could not have formed at the location of the ring and, given its low mass, dynamical friction is unlikely to have played a major role in its orbital evolution. We search cosmological simulations for low-mass satellites in nearly-circular orbits and find that they result, almost invariably, from orbital changes induced by collisions with more massive satellites: the radius of the circular orbit thus traces the galactocentric distance of the collision. Interestingly, the Sagittarius dwarf, one of the most luminous satellites of the Milky Way, is in a polar orbit that crosses the Galactic plane at roughly the same Galactocentric distance as Monoceros. We use idealized simulations to demonstrate that an encounter with Sagittarius might well have led to the circularization and subsequent tidal demise of the progenitor of the Monoceros ring.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, to match version published in MNRAS Letters (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2011.01035.x/abstract

Approximately well-balanced Discontinuous Galerkin methods using bases enriched with Physics-Informed Neural Networks

This work concerns the enrichment of Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) bases, so that the resulting scheme provides a much better approximation of steady solutions to hyperbolic systems of balance laws. The basis enrichment leverages a prior -- an approximation of the steady solution -- which we propose to compute using a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN). To that end, after presenting the classical DG scheme, we show how to enrich its basis with a prior. Convergence results and error estimates follow, in which we prove that the basis with prior does not change the order of convergence, and that the error constant is improved. To construct the prior, we elect to use parametric PINNs, which we introduce, as well as the algorithms to construct a prior from PINNs. We finally perform several validation experiments on four different hyperbolic balance laws to highlight the properties of the scheme. Namely, we show that the DG scheme with prior is much more accurate on steady solutions than the DG scheme without prior, while retaining the same approximation quality on unsteady solutions

Chemical evolution during gas-rich galaxy interactions

We perform and analyse a set of galaxy interactions performed by using a self-consistent chemo-hydrodynamical model which includes star formation, supernova (SN) feedback and chemical evolution. In agreement with previous works, we find that tidally induced low-metallicity gas inflows dilute the central oxygen abundance and contribute to the flattening of the metallicity gradients. The tidally induced inflows trigger starbursts which increase the impact of Type II supernova (SN II) feedback injecting new chemical elements and driving galactic winds which modulate the metallicity distribution. Although α-enhancement in the central regions is detected as a result of the induced starbursts in agreement with previous works, our simulations suggest that this parameter can only provide a timing of the first pericentre mainly for non-retrograde encounters. In order to reproduce wet major mergers at low and high redshifts, we have run simulations with respectively 20 and 50 per cent of the disc in the form of gas. We find that the more gas-rich encounters behave similarly to the less rich ones, between the first and second pericentre, where low-metallicity gas inflows are triggered. However, the higher strength of the inflows triggered in the more gas-rich interactions produces larger metal dilution factors, which are modulated afterwards by the new chemical production by SN. We find that the more gas-rich interaction develops violent and clumpy star formation triggered by local instabilities all over the disc before the first pericentre, so that if these galaxies were observed at these early stages where no important tidally induced inflows have been able to be developed yet, they would tend to show an excess of oxygen. We find a global mean correlation of both the central abundances and the gradients with the strength of the star formation activity. However, the correlations are affected by orbital parameters, gas inflows and outflows, suggesting that it might be difficult to determine it from observations. Overall, our findings show that a consistent description of the gas dynamics and stellar evolution along the interactions is necessary to assess their effects on the chemical properties of the interstellar medium.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Properties of simulated Milky Way-mass galaxies in loose group and field environments

We test the validity of comparing simulated field disk galaxies with the empirical properties of systems situated within environments more comparable to loose groups, including the Milky Way's Local Group. Cosmological simulations of Milky Way-mass galaxies have been realised in two different environment samples: in the field and in environments with similar properties to the Local Group. Apart from the environments of the galaxies, the samples are kept as homogeneous as possible with equivalent ranges in last major merger time, halo mass and halo spin. Comparison of these two samples allow for systematic differences in the simulations to be identified. Metallicity gradients, disk scale lengths, colours, magnitudes and age-velocity dispersion relations are studied for each galaxy in the suite and the strength of the link between these and environment of the galaxies is studied. The bulge-to-disk ratio of the galaxies show that these galaxies are less spheroid dominated than many other simulated galaxies in literature with the majority of both samples being disk dominated. We find that secular evolution and mergers dominate the spread of morphologies and metallicity gradients with no visible differences between the two environment samples. In contrast with this consistency in the two samples there is tentative evidence for a systematic difference in the velocity dispersion-age relations of galaxies in the different environments. Loose group galaxies appear to have more discrete steps in their velocity dispersion-age relations. We conclude that at the current resolution of cosmological galaxy simulations field environment galaxies are sufficiently similar to those in loose groups to be acceptable proxies for comparison with the Milky Way provided that a similar assembly history is considered.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, abstract abridged for arXiv. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

The UV, Lyman α, and dark matter halo properties of high-redshift galaxies

We explore the properties of high-redshift Lyman alpha emitters (LAEs), and their link with the Lyman-break galaxy (LBG) population, using a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation that takes into account resonant scattering of Lyα photons in gas outflows. We can reasonably reproduce the abundances of LAEs and LBGs from z≈3 to 7, as well as most UV luminosity functions (LFs) of LAEs. The stronger dust attenuation for (resonant) Lyα photons compared to UV continuum photons in bright LBGs provides a natural interpretation to the increase of the LAE fraction in LBG samples, XLAE, towards fainter magnitudes. The redshift evolution of XLAE seems however very sensitive to UV magnitudes limits and equivalent width (EW) cuts. In spite of the apparent good match between the statistical properties predicted by the model and the observations, we find that the tail of the Lyα EW distribution (EW≳100 Å) cannot be explained by our model, and we need to invoke additional mechanisms. We find that LAEs and LBGs span a very similar dynamical range, but bright LAEs are ∼4times rarer than LBGs in massive haloes. Moreover, massive haloes mainly contain weak LAEs in our model, which might introduce a bias towards low-mass haloes in surveys which select sources with high-EW cuts. Overall, our results are consistent with the idea that LAEs and LBGs make a very similar galaxy population. Their apparent differences seem mainly due to EW selections, UV detection limits, and a decreasing Lyα to UV escape fraction ratio in high star formation rate galaxie