Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings

Spiral-Like Patterns Of Star Formation Discovered In Old Galaxies

By Phys.org | November 22, 2016

Share

Using data from the SDSS and CALIFA surveys, a team of astronomers, led by Jean Michel Gomes and Polychronis Papaderos from the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA), in Portugal, discovered in the optical faint star-forming spiral-arm-like features in the periphery of nearby early-type galaxies. This work was presented yesterday, during the 2nd SELGFIS Advanced School on Integral-Field Spectroscopic Data Analysis , ongoing in Madrid until the 25th of November 2016.

Usually, star-forming regions are blue areas, HII-regions that house short-lived massive blue stars, embedded in the disk section of spiral galaxies. In contrast, Elliptical and Lenticular galaxies (historically referred to as early-type galaxies) are composed of old stars with reddish colors, and are thought to be “dead” spheroids, no longer giving birth to new stars.

However, the CALIFA study led by the IA team has now discovered in the optical spiral features in the outskirts of three nearby early-type galaxies, which points to a still ongoing inside-out growth. This adds valuable observational insight into the origin and evolution of spiral structures in old spheroidal galaxies.

Jean Michel Gomes (IA & University of Porto), co-leader of the SELGIFS work package Reconstruction of the Star Formation History explains the novelty of this discovery: “According to our current view, grand design spiral-like features are associated with disc galaxies. These are, in general, regions of enhanced star formation. We were surprised to have discovered, for the first time in the optical, spiral-like structures in early-type galaxies, which we believed to have stopped forming stars in the last few billion years and should entirely lack spiral features.”

The discovery of faint spiral-like star-forming features in the periphery of early-type galaxies in this pilot study by Gomes and Papaderos has already motivated a further investigation of this issue by researchers at IA.

To Polychronis Papaderos (IA & University of Porto), founding member and Co-Investigator of SELGIFS and scientist in charge of its Portuguese node: “This study provides further observational evidence for a still ongoing growth of some seemingly “old and dead” early-type galaxies in the local Universe, out of a reservoir of cold gas that feeds low-level star-forming activity in their periphery”.

IA researchers Gomes and Papaderos, together with their PhD students Iris Breda and Sandra Reis, are leading a research within the CALIFA collaboration, on the properties of the diffusely distributed warm ionized gas in early-type galaxies. The main goal of this project is to evaluate the role of various possible gas excitation mechanisms in early-type galaxies.


Filed Under: Aerospace + defense

 

Related Articles Read More >

Ontic acquires Servotek and Westcon product lines from Marsh Bellofram
Flexible rotary shafts support thrust reverser on 150 LEAP 1-A turbofan engines
Drone-mounted inspection breaks barriers for F-35
TriStar, a misunderstood failure of design

DESIGN GUIDE LIBRARY

“motion

Enews Sign Up

Motion Control Classroom

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Global supply needs drive increased manufacturing footprint development
  • How to Increase Rotational Capacity for a Retaining Ring
  • Cordis high resolution electronic proportional pressure controls
  • WAGO’s custom designed interface wiring system making industrial applications easier
  • 10 Reasons to Specify Valve Manifolds
  • Case study: How a 3D-printed tool saved thousands of hours and dollars

Design World Podcasts

May 17, 2022
Another view on additive and the aerospace industry
See More >
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • Advertising
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Engineering White Papers
  • LEAP AWARDS

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings