abstract: The Kuiper Belt Object Haumea is one of the most fascinating objects in the solar system. Spectral reflectance observations reveal a surface of almost pure water ice, yet it has a mass of 4.006 × 1021 kg, measured from orbits of its moons, along with an inferred mean radius of 715 km, and these imply a mean density of around 2600 kg m−3. Thus the surface ice must be a veneer over a rocky core. This model is supported by observations of Haumea's light curve, which shows large photometric variations over an anomalously rapid 3.9154-hour rotational period. Haumea's surface composition is uniform, therefore the light curve must be due to a varying area presented to the observer, implying that Haumea has an oblong, ellipsoidal shape. If Haumea's rotation axis is normal to our line of sight, and Haumea reflects with a lunar-like scattering function, then its axis ratios are p = b/a = 0.80 (in the equatorial cross section) and q = c/a = 0.52 (in the polar cross section). In this work, I assume that Haumea is in hydrostatic equilibrium, and I model it as a two-phase ellipsoid with an ice mantle and a rocky core. I model the core assuming it has a given density in the range between 2700–3300 kg m−3 with axis ratios that are free to vary. The metric which my code uses calculates the angle between the gravity vector and the surface normal, then averages this over both the outer surface and the core-mantle boundary. When this fit angle is minimized, it allows an interpretation of the size and shape of the core, as well as the thickness of the ice mantle. Results of my calculations show that Haumea's most likely core density is 2700–2800 kg m−3, with ice thicknesses anywhere from 12–32 km over the poles and as thin as 4–18 km over the equator. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Astrophysics 2015

abstract: Finding habitable worlds is a key driver of solar system exploration. Many solar system missions seek environments providing liquid water, energy, and nutrients, the three ingredients necessary to sustain life. Such environments include hydrothermal systems, spatially-confined systems where hot aqueous fluid circulates through rock by convection. I sought to characterize hydrothermal microbial communities, collected in hot spring sediments and mats at Yellowstone National Park, USA, by measuring their bulk elemental composition. To do so, one must minimize the contribution of non-biological material to the samples analyzed. I demonstrate that this can be achieved using a separation method that takes advantage of the density contrast between cells and sediment and preserves cellular elemental contents. Using this method, I show that in spite of the tremendous physical, chemical, and taxonomic diversity of Yellowstone hot springs, the composition of microorganisms there is surprisingly ordinary. This suggests the existence of a stoichiometric envelope common to all life as we know it. Thus, future planetary investigations could use elemental fingerprints to assess the astrobiological potential of hydrothermal settings beyond Earth. Indeed, hydrothermal activity may be widespread in the solar system. Most solar system worlds larger than 200 km in radius are dwarf planets, likely composed of an icy, cometary mantle surrounding a rocky, chondritic core. I enhance a dwarf planet evolution code, including the effects of core fracturing and hydrothermal circulation, to demonstrate that dwarf planets likely have undergone extensive water-rock interaction. This supports observations of aqueous products on their surfaces. I simulate the alteration of chondritic rock by pure water or cometary fluid to show that aqueous alteration feeds back on geophysical evolution: it modifies the fluid antifreeze content, affecting its persistence over geological timescales; and the distribution of radionuclides, whose decay is a chief heat source on dwarf planets. Interaction products can be observed if transported to the surface. I simulate numerically how cryovolcanic transport is enabled by primordial and hydrothermal volatile exsolution. Cryovolcanism seems plausible on dwarf planets in light of images recently returned by spacecrafts. Thus, these coupled geophysical-geochemical models provide a comprehensive picture of dwarf planet evolution, processes, and habitability. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Astrophysics 2015

Uma previsão fundamental do cenário L cold dark matter (LCDM) na formação de estruturas é que os halos galácticos de DM do tamanho da Via Láctea (MW) crescem pela acreção de subsistemas menores. Neste contexto, simulações deNcorpos prevêem um número de sub-halos de matéria escura, cujo tamanho e massa são comparáveis às galáxias anãs, que é muito maior do que as galáxias satélites conhecidas. Este é o que se convencionu chamar de problema das satélites faltantes (MSP). A interpretação mais popular do MSP é que os sub-halos de matéria escura menores são extremamente ineficientes na formação de estrelas, o que torna mais difícil detectá-los. Com a chegada dos grandes levantamentos fotométricos, nos últimos anos, a descoberta de uma nova população de galáxias satélites que orbitam a MW fornece evidências empíricas para acreditar que realmente existem várias galáxias pouco luminosas não detectadas ou que simplesmente habitam regiões no céu que ainda não foram observadas. Neste trabalho implementamos um algoritmo estatístico eficiente para detectar subestruturas ultra fracas da MW. O código, chamado SPARSEX, foi testado e otimizado usando um conjunto de objetos estelares previamente identificados nos dados do Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), conseguindo recuperar todos os objetos com sucesso. Além disso, a aplicação do algoritmo aos dados dos dois primeiro anos do Dark Energy Survey (DES) deu como resultado centenas de candidatos a sistemas estelares. Dezessete sistemas estelares detectados em comum com outras técnicas de busca por subestruturas, implementadas dentro do grupo de colaboração do DES, foram publicados em três artigos em 2015. Um dos candidatos publicados é o aglomerado estelar DES 1. DES1 foi detectado pelo código SPARSEX com uma alta significância estatística e aparece nas imagens do DES como uma concentração compacta de fontes pontuais azuis. O sistema estelar é consistente com uma população velha e pobre em metal. Assumindo dois diferentes perfis de densidade, os quais permitem estimar a probabilidade de que cada estrela realmente pertença ao sistema, determinamos uma distância heliocêntrica e uma magnitude absoluta total num intervalo de 77.6—87.1 kpc e 3.00 . MV . 2.21, respectivamente. O raio à meia-luz desse objeto, rh 9.88 pc, e a luminosidade são consistentes com um aglomerado estelar de baixa luminosidade do halo externo. DES1 também é x alongado (e 0.6), o que faz supor que este objeto está em estágio avançado de dissolução. Mais tarde, através de uma cuidadosa reanálise de nossos resultados, dois novos candidatos foram detectados, DES J01111341 e DES J0225+0304. Os candidatos estão localizados a uma distância heliocêntrica de 25 kpc e parecem também estar dominados por populações estelares velhas e pobres em metais. Suas distâncias ao plano orbital da galáxia anã de Sagitário, 1.73 kpc (DES J01111341) e 0.50 kpc (DES J0225+0304), indicam que eles estão possivelmente associados com a corrente da anã de Sagitário. O raio à meia-luz (rh ' 4.55 pc) e a luminosidade (MV ' +0.3) de DES J01111341 são consistentes com um aglomerado estelar ultra fraco, enquanto o raio à meia-luz (rh ' 18.55 pc) e a luminosidade (MV ' 1.1) de DES J0225+0304 colocam este objeto em uma região ambígua do plano tamanho-luminosidade entre aglomerados estelares e galáxias anãs. Determinações dos parâmetros característicos da corrente de Sagitário, tais como o espalhamento de metalicidade (2.18 . [Fe/H] . 0.95) e o gradiente de distância (23 kpc . D . 29 kpc), dentro da área amostrada do DES no hemisfério sul, também indicam uma possível associação com estes sistemas. Se esses objetos forem confirmados através de follow-up espectroscópico como sistemas ligados gravitacionalmente e compartilharem uma trajetoria Galáctica com a corrente de Sagitário, DES J01111341 e DES J0225+0304 seriam os primeiros sistemas estelares ultra fracos associados com tal corrente. Recentemente, nós reportamos a descoberta de um novo aglomerado estelar, DES 3. O novo sistema foi detectado como uma sobredensidade estelar nos dados do primeiro ano do DES e confirmado com follow-up fotométrico obtido com o Southerm Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telecope. Nós determinamos que DES 3 está localizado a uma distância heliocêntrica de 76 kpc e é dominado por uma população velha (' 9.8Ganos) e pobre em metal ([Fe/H] ' 1.88). Embora os valores de idade e metalicidade de DES 3 são semelhantes aos aglomerados globulares, o seu raio à meia-luz (rh 6.5 pc) e a luminosidade (MV 1.9) são mais indicativos de um aglomerados estelar fraco. Com base no tamanho angular aparente, o DES 3, com um valor de rh 0.03, está entre os menores aglomerados estelares fracos conhecidos até à data. Estas novas detecções indicam que o censo de satélites da MW é ainda incompleto. A identificação e estudo de novos satélites em futuros surveys, como por exemplo o Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) será crucial para a nossa compreensão das subestruturas existentes no halo Galáctico e a evolução da Galáxia como um todo. / A fundamental prediction of the L cold dark matter (LCDM) scenario of structure formation is that galactic DM haloes of the size of the Milky Way (MW) grow by the accretion of smaller sub-systems. In this context, Nbody simulations predict a number of dark matter subhalos, with size and mass comparable to dwarf galaxies, but which is much larger than currently known satellite galaxies. This is what is conventionally called the missing satellites problem (MSP). The most popular interpretation of the MSP is that the smaller dark matter subhalos are extremely inefficient in star formation, making it more difficult to detect them. With the arrival of large photometric surveys, in recent years, the discovery of a new population of satellite galaxies orbiting the MW provides empirical evidence to believe that there are actually several low luminosity galaxies that were not yet detected or that simply inhabit regions in the sky that have not yet been observed. In this work we present an efficient statistical algorithm to detect ultra-faint MW substructures. The code, called SPARSEX, was tested and optimized using a set of stellar objects previously identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data. It has detected successfully all known objects. In addition, the algorithm was applied on the first two years of Dark Energy Survey (DES) data, resulting in hundreds of stellar system candidates. Seventeen stellar systems detected in common with other substructure search techniques implemented within the DES collaboration were published in three papers in 2015. In particular, one published candidate is a star cluster, DES 1. DES 1 was detected by the SPARSEX code with high statistical significance and appears in DES images as a compact concentration of blue point sources. The stellar system is consistent with being dominated by an old and metal-poor population. Assuming two different density profiles, based on which we may evaluate a membership probability for each star, we determined a heliocentric distance and total absolute magnitude in the ranges of 77.6—87.1 kpc and 3.00 . MV . 2.21, respectively. The half-light radius of this object, rh 9.88 pc, and luminosity are consistent with a low-mass halo star cluster. DES1 is also elongated (e 0.6), which suggests that this object is in advanced stage of dissolution. Later, through a careful reanalysis of our results, two new candidates were detected, DES J01111341 e DES J0225+0304. The candidates are located at a heliocentric xii distance of 25 kpc and appear to have old and metal-poor populations as well. Their distances to the Sagittarius dwarf orbital plane, 1.73 kpc (DES J01111341) and 0.50 kpc (DES J0225+0304), indicate that they are possibly associated with the Sagittarius dwarf stream. The half-light radius (rh ' 4.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ' +0.3) of DES J01111341 are consistent with it being an ultra-faint star cluster, while the half-light radius (rh ' 18.55 pc) and luminosity (MV ' 1.1) of DES J0225+0304 place it in an ambiguous region of size-luminosity space between star clusters and dwarf galaxies. Determinations of the characteristic parameters of the Sagittarius stream, such as its metallicity spread (2.18 . [Fe/H] . 0.95) and distance gradient (23 kpc . D . 29 kpc), within the DES footprint in the Southern hemisphere, also indicate a possible association with these systems. If theses objects are confirmed through spectroscopic follow-up to be gravitationally bound systems and to share a Galactic trajectory with the Sagittarius stream, DES J01111341 and DES J0225+0304 would be the first ultra-faint stellar systems associated with the Sagittarius stream. Recently, we reported the discovery of a new star cluster, DES 3. The new system was detected as a stellar overdensity in first-year DES data, and confirmed with deeper photometry from the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope. We determine that DES 3 is located at a heliocentric distance of 76 kpc and it is dominated by an old (' 9.8 Gyr) and metal-poor ([Fe/H] ' 1.88) population. While the age and metallicity values of DES 3 are similar to globular clusters, its half-light radius (rh 6.5 pc) and luminosity (MV 1.9) are more indicative of faint star clusters. Based on the apparent angular size, DES 3, with a value of rh 0.03, is among the smallest faint star clusters known to date. These new detections indicate that the MW satellites census is still incomplete. The identification and study of new satellites in future surveys, such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), will be crucial to our understanding of substructures in the Galactic halo and the evolution of the Galaxy as a whole.

White dwarf stars are the most common final stage of stellar evolution, corresponding to 99% of all stars in the Galaxy. White dwarf models can be used to obtain the age of stellar populations, to build an initial to final mass relation to understand the connection between the properties of white dwarfs and their progenitors, determine the upper mass limit that separates white dwarfs progenitors from Type II supernovae, enhance the comprehension of the physical properties of high density matter and derive ages and masses for observed white dwarfs from the cooling tracks. The literature is populated with low mass and intermediate mass white dwarf models, however the massive white dwarfs are often forgotten and the evolutionary sequences are incomplete. In this dissertation, we compute full evolutionary sequences for massive white dwarfs, exploring the evolution of hydrogen-rich and hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs stars with masses between 1.012 and 1.307 M , and initial metallicity of Z = 0.02. These sequences are the result of main sequence stars with masses between 8.8 and 11.8 M . The simulations were performed with the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics - MESA code, starting at the zero-age main sequence, through thermally pulsing and mass-loss phases, ending as the white dwarfs at the cooling sequence. Our simulations are full evolutionary, in which we consider the entire evolutionary history of the progenitors. We present reliable nuclear chemical profiles for the whole mass range considered, covering the different expected central compositions, i.e. C/O, O/Ne and Ne/O/Mg, and their dependence with the stellar mass. In addition, we present detailed chemical profiles of hybrid C/O-O/Ne core white dwarfs, found in the mass range between 1.024 and 1.150 M . We present the initial-to-final mass relation, mass-radius relation, and cooling times with improved crystallization limits, considering the effects of atmosphere and core composition.

O objetivo desta tese é analisar aspectos do sistema de satélites da Via Láctea de relevância cosmológica. Dentre estes aspectos destacam-se dois: o censo de satélites da Galáxia – onde constata-se que a quantidade destes objetos é muito inferior ao predito por modelos cosmológicos do tipo Matéria Escura Fria – e a frequência anômala de satélites luminosos, como a Pequena e Grande Nuvem de Magalhães (SMC e LMC respectivamente). Além disso, a determinação dos parâmetros estruturais da LMC pode impor vínculos a sua formação, histórico orbital e sobre a massa de nossa Galáxia. Neste trabalho é desenvolvida uma técnica de busca por satélites da Via Láctea. Esta técnica foi otimizada para utilizar dados da nova geração de grandes surveys de maneira eficiente. Este código, o FindSat, foi validado em uma amostra de galáxias anãs conhecidas e se mostrou eficiente em detectar as galáxias anãs mais tênues de que se tem registro. A aplicação desse código a uma região do Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) ainda não explorada nesse sentido revelou uma série de candidatos a novos satélites. Foram selecionados os candidatos mais promissores para observação de follow-up. Estas observações revelaram que um destes candidatos é de fato um novo satélite da Via Láctea. Este novo objeto é muito provavelmente um aglomerado globular do halo em estágio avançado de dissolução, porém, seu tamanho e magnitude integrada colocamno em um domínio limítrofe entre aglomerado e galáxia anã. Através da cuidadosa análise dos demais candidatos, constatou-se que nenhum outro é de fato um novo satélite da Galáxia. Além disso, foi realizado o estudo do perfil de densidade e geometria da LMC. Este estudo utilizou dados de verificação científica do Dark Energy Survey (DES). Constatase que o perfil de densidades para estrelas jovens (< 3 Gyr) possui um raio de escala cerca de 50% menor que o da população velha (> 3 Gyr), favorecendo o cenário de formação tipo outside-in. O estudo da extensão da componente estelar da LMC revela um raio de maré de cerca de 18 kpc, permitindo o cálculo da massa dinâmica total da LMC. O valor de massa obtido favorece a hipótese onde as Nuvens de Magalhães estariam por sua primeira passagem pelo perigaláctico. Além disso, a distância heliocêntrica e espessura do disco da LMC foram determinadas utilizando estrelas do Red Clump (RC). Notou-se que regiões no extremo norte da LMC estão sistematicamente mais próximas de nós do que o esperado, este efeito evidencia o warp no disco dessa galáxia. Observou-se que a espessura do disco aumenta na periferia da LMC, caracterizando o fenômeno de flare. O aumento na espessura juntamente com a maior extensão da população velha da LMC é interpretado como a presença de dois componentes discoidais. Esta é a primeira evidência desse tipo baseada apenas em métodos de contagem de estrelas. / The goal of this thesis is to analyse comologically relevant aspects of the Milky Way (MW) satellite system. Among these we may highlight two: the census of MW satellites – where the observed number of these objects is much less than what is expected by Cold Dark Matter (CDM) models – and the anomalous frequency of luminous satellites, such as the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds (SMC and LMC respectively). Besides the cosmological importance of the Clouds, the determination of its structural parameters may help to constraint models for their formation, orbital history, and ultimately the mass assembly in our Galaxy. In this work a technique to search newMWsatellites is developed. This technique was optimized to run efficiently on large datasets, such as the ones being generated by the new generation of surveys. The code, FindSat was validated in a sample of well known MW satellites and has proven to be well succeeded even for the most faint of these objects. The application of this code to an unexplored region of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) revealed a large amount of new dwarf galaxy candidates, some of which where selected for follow-up observation. These observations led to the discovery of a new MW satellite. This new object is most likely a globular cluster in an extreme stage of dissolution. However, its integrated magnitude and size makes it difficult to discern it from a dwarf galaxy. By a careful analysis of the remaining candidates, it was shown that no other new satellite was in the sample. The density profile and geometry of the LMC was also analysed. This study used the recent science verification data from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). It was found that the density profile for young stars (< 3 Gyr) has a scale radius 50% smaller when compared to the one obtained for older stars (> 3 Gyr). This result favours the outsidein galaxy formation scenario. The total extension of the LMC stellar component was measured, allowing the estimate of a truncation radius of about 18 kpc. Assuming that this truncation has tidal origins the dynamical mass of the LMC is inferred. The mass value found favours the case for the first perigalactic passage of the Clouds. Besides that, the heliocentric distance and thickness of the LMC disk was determined using Red Clump (RC) stars. Evidence for warp was found in the North edge of the LMC, in the sense that the disk is systematically more distance than expected. While the thickness of the disk increases towards the outer parts of the LMC, which is a phenomena known as flare. This effect joined with the fact that the older LMC stellar population is more extended, favours the presence of two disk components in this galaxy. This is the first evidence of this kind based only on star counts.

We investigate the star formation history (SFH) and chemical evolution of isolated analogs of Local Group (LG) ultrafaint dwarf galaxies (UFDs; stellar mass range of 10(2)M(circle dot) < M-*< 10(5) M-circle dot) and gas-rich, low-mass dwarfs (Leo P analogs; stellar mass range of 10(5)M(circle dot) < M-*< 10(6) M-circle dot). We perform a suite of cosmological hydrodynamic zoom-in simulations to follow their evolution from the era of the first generation of stars down to z=0. We confirm that reionization, combined with supernova (SN) feedback, is primarily responsible for the truncated star formation in UFDs. Specifically, halos with a virial mass of M-vir less than or similar to 2 x 10(9) M-circle dot form greater than or similar to 90% of stars prior to reionization. Our work further demonstrates the importance of Population. III stars, with their intrinsically high [C/Fe] yields and the associated external metal enrichment, in producing low-metallicity stars ([Fe/H] less than or similar to -4) and carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars. We find that UFDs are composite systems, assembled from multiple progenitor halos, some of which hosted only Population. II stars formed in environments externally enriched by SNe in neighboring halos, naturally producing extremely low metallicity Population II stars. We illustrate how the simulated chemical enrichment may be used to constrain the SFHs of true observed UFDs. We find that Leo P analogs can form in halos with M-vir similar to 4 x 10(9) M-circle dot 9 (z = 0). Such systems are less affected byreionization and continue to form stars until z = 0, causing higher-metallicity tails. Finally, we predict the existence of extremely low metallicity stars in LG UFD galaxies that preserve the pure chemical signatures of Population III nucleosynthesis.

nÃo hà / O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de caracterizar e avaliar a diversidade genÃtica de progÃnies de meios-irmÃos de cajueiro anÃo precoce da Embrapa AgroindÃstria Tropical por meio de marcadores moleculares e morfolÃgicos, assim como, a indicaÃÃo dos materiais divergentes para o programa de melhoramento genÃtico. Foram utilizadas 50 progÃnies instaladas no Campo Experimental de Pacajus, CE. Na anÃlise molecular, cada progÃnie foi amostrada coletando-se folhas de duas plantas/parcela e analisadas no laboratÃrio de Biologia Molecular da Embrapa AgroindÃstria Tropical. Foram realizadas extraÃÃes de DNA baseadas no mÃtodo CTAB (brometo de cetiltrimetilamÃnio) ajustado por Cavalcanti (2004) e utilizados marcadores do tipo ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat). Utilizou-se o coeficiente de Jaccard e anÃlise de agrupamento UPGMA (MÃtodo de MÃdia AritmÃtica NÃo Ponderada) para anÃlise dos grupos. Doze iniciadores ISSR geraram 71 bandas das quais 27 foram polimÃrficas. A anÃlise de agrupamento permitiu a divisÃo em quatorze grupos de similaridade genÃtica, onde as progÃnies mais divergentes foram CNPAT 92-56, CNPAT 92- 62 e CNPAT 92-385 e as mais similares foram CNPAT 92-331 e CNPAT 92-335. Na anÃlise quantitativa foram utilizadas as seguintes variÃveis: altura da planta, diÃmetro da copa, nÃmero de castanhas e produÃÃo. Foi utilizada a DistÃncia Euclidiana para anÃlise da distÃncia genÃtica e UPGMA para a anÃlise de agrupamento. A produÃÃo foi a variÃvel que obteve maior contribuiÃÃo relativa para a divergÃncia genÃtica com 97,80%. A anÃlise de agrupamento UPGMA possibilitou a distribuiÃÃo de 11 grupos. O material mais divergente foi o CNPAT 92-331 oriundo da Fazenda Capisa (PiauÃ). Os mais similares formaram o subgrupo I do grupo I, CNPAT 92-54 e CNPAT 92-58 com 95% de similaridade. Hà variabilidade genÃtica, no entanto nÃo foram encontradas relaÃÃes diretas entre a anÃlise molecular e a quantitativa / The present work was developed in order to characterize and evaluate the genetic diversity of dwarf cashew progenies from Embrapa AgroindÃstria Tropical using molecular and morphological markers as well as the indication of divergent materials to the breeding program. It was used 50 dwarf cashew progenies from Embrapa AgroindÃstria Tropical collection located in the Experimental Center of Pacajus, CearÃ. In the molecular analysis, each progeny was sampled by collecting leaves from two plants per plot and then analyzed at EmbrapaÂs molecular biology lab. It was performed DNAÂs extractions based on CTAB (Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) method, adapted by Cavalcanti (2004). ISSRÂs markers (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) were used. JaccardÂs coefficient and UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) cluster analysis were applied in the group analysis. Cluster analysis allowed the division into fourteen groups of genetic similarity being the most divergent progenies CNPAT 92-56, 92-62 and 92-385, and the most similar ones CNPAT 92-331 and 92-335. Variables such as plant height, diameter, number of nuts and production, were used in the quantitative analysis. Euclidian distance was used in the genetic distance analysis. UPGMA method were used in cluster analysis. The variable with highest relative contribution to genetic divergence was production, with 97,80%. The UPGMA cluster analysis allowed the division into eleven groups. The most divergent material was CNPAT 92-331 coming from Capisa farm in Piauà state. The most similar materials formed the subgroup I of group I, CNPAT 92-54 and 92-58 with 95% similarity. There is genetic variability, however no direct relationship between molecular and quantitative analysis was found

The aim of this thesis is to use a cross-match between WISE, 2MASS and SDSS to identify a large sample of M dwarfs. Through the careful characterisation and quality control of these M dwarfs I aim to identify rare systems (i.e. unresolved UCD companions, young M dwarfs, late M dwarfs and M dwarfs with common proper motion companions). Locating ultracool companions to M dwarfs is important for constraining low-mass formation models, the measurement of substellar dynamical masses and radii, and for testing ultracool evolutionary models. This is done by using an optimised method for identifying M dwarfs which may have unresolved ultracool companions. To do this I construct a catalogue of 440 694 M dwarf candidates, from WISE, 2MASS and SDSS, based on optical- and near-infrared colours and reduced proper motion. With strict reddening, photometric and quality constraints I isolate a sub-sample of 36 898 M dwarfs and search for possible mid-infrared M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates by comparing M dwarfs which have similar optical/near-infrared colours (chosen for their sensitivity to effective temperature and metallicity). I present 1 082 M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates for follow-up. Using simulated ultracool dwarf companions to M dwarfs, I estimate that the occurrence of unresolved ultracool companions amongst my M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates should be at least four times the average for my full M dwarf catalogue. I discuss yields of candidates based on my simulations. The possible contamination and bias from misidentified M dwarfs is then discussed, from chance alignments with other M dwarfs and UCDs, from chance alignments with giant stars, from chance alignments with galaxies, and from blended systems (via visual inspection). I then use optical spectra from LAMOST to spectral type a subset of my M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates. These candidates need confirming as true M dwarf + ultracool dwarf systems thus I present a new method I developed to use low resolution near-infrared spectra which relies on two colour similar objects (one an excess candidate, one not) having very similar spectra. A spectral difference of these two colour similar objects should leave the signature of a UCD in the residual of their differences, which I look for using the difference in two spectral bands designed to identify UCD spectral features. I then present the methods used to identify other rare systems from my full M dwarf catalogue. Young M dwarfs were identified by measuring equivalent widths of Hα from the LAMOST spectra, and by measuring rotation periods from Kepler 2 light curves. I identify late M dwarfs photometrically (using reduced proper motion and colour cuts) and spectroscopically (using the LAMOST spectra with spectral indices from the literature). Also I present common proper motion analysis aimed at finding Tycho-2 primaries for my M dwarfs and look for physically separated M dwarf + M dwarf pairs (internally within my full M dwarf catalogue).

We investigate the relation between gas and star formation in subgalactic regions, similar to 360. pc to similar to 1.5. kpc in size, within the nearby starburst dwarf NGC 4449, in order to separate the underlying relation from the effects of sampling at varying spatial scales. Dust and gas mass surface densities are derived by combining new observations at 1.1. mm, obtained with the AzTEC instrument on the Large Millimeter Telescope, with archival infrared images in the range 8-500 mu m from the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Herschel Space Observatory. We extend the dynamic range of our millimeter (and dust) maps at the faint end, using a correlation between the far-infrared/millimeter colors F(70)/F(1100) (and F(160)/F(1100)) and the mid-infrared color F(8)/F(24) that we establish for the first time for this and other galaxies. Supplementing our data with maps of the extinction-corrected star formation rate (SFR) surface density, we measure both the SFR-molecular gas and the SFR-total. gas relations in NGC 4449. We find that the SFR-molecular. gas relation is described by a power law with an exponent that decreases from similar to 1.5 to similar to 1.2 for increasing region size, while the exponent of the SFR-total. gas relation remains constant with a value of similar to 1.5 independent of region size. We attribute the molecular law behavior to the increasingly better sampling of the molecular cloud mass function at larger region sizes; conversely, the total gas law behavior likely results from the balance between the atomic and molecular gas phases achieved in regions of active star formation. Our results indicate a nonlinear relation between SFR and gas surface density in NGC 4449, similar to what is observed for galaxy samples.

Star-forming compact dwarf galaxies (CDGs) resemble the expected pristine conditions of the first galaxies in the Universe and are the best systems to test models on primordial galaxy formation and evolution. Here, we report on one of such CDGs, Tololo 1214-277, which presents a broad, single peaked, highly symmetric Ly alpha emission line that had evaded theoretical interpretation so far. In this paper, we reproduce for the first time these line features with two different physically motivated kinematic models: an interstellar medium composed by outflowing clumps with random motions and an homogeneous gaseous sphere undergoing solid body rotation. The multiphase model requires a clump velocity dispersion of 54.3 +/- 0.6 km s(-1) with outflows of 54.3 +/- 5.1 km s(-1), while the bulk rotation velocity is constrained to be 348(-48)(+75) km s(-1). We argue that the results from the multiphase model provide a correct interpretation of the data. In that case, the clump velocity dispersion implies a dynamical mass of 2 x 10(9) M-circle dot, 10 times its baryonic mass. If future kinematic maps of Tololo 1214-277 confirm the velocities suggested by the multiphase model, it would provide additional support to expect such kinematic state in primordial galaxies, opening the opportunity to use the models and methods presented in this paper to constrain the physics of star formation and feedback in the early generation of Ly alpha - emitting galaxies.