Nearby dwarf galaxies provide a unique laboratory in which to test stellar population models below Z(circle dot)/2. Such tests are particularly important for interpreting the surprising high-ionization ultraviolet (UV) line emission detected at z > 6 in recent years. We present HST/COS UV spectra of 10 nearby metal-poor star-forming galaxies selected to show He II emission in SDSS optical spectra. The targets span nearly a dex in gas-phase oxygen abundance (7.8 < 12 + logO/H < 8.5) and present uniformly large specific star formation rates (sSFR similar to 10(2) Gyr(-1)). The UV spectra confirm that metal-poor stellar populations can power extreme nebular emission in high-ionization UV lines, reaching CIII] equivalent widths comparable to those seen in systems at z similar to 6-7. Our data reveal a marked transition in UV spectral properties with decreasing metallicity, with systems below 12 + logO/H less than or similar to 8.0 (Z/Z(circle dot) less than or similar to 1/5) presenting minimal stellar wind features and prominent nebular emission in He II and C IV. This is consistent with nearly an order of magnitude increase in ionizing photon production beyond the He+-ionizing edge relative to H-ionizing flux as metallicity decreases below a fifth solar, well in excess of standard stellar population synthesis predictions. Our results suggest that often-neglected sources of energetic radiation such as stripped binary products and very massive O-stars produce a sharper change in the ionizing spectrum with decreasing metallicity than expected. Consequently, nebular emission in C IV and He II powered by these stars may provide useful metallicity constraints in the reionization era.

We present a spectroscopic survey of high-redshift, luminous galaxies over four square degrees on the sky, aiming to build a large and homogeneous sample of Ly alpha emitters (LAEs) at z approximate to 5.7 and 6.5, and Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) at 5.5 < z < 6.8. The fields that we choose to observe are well studied, such as by the Subaru XMM-Newton Deep Survey and COSMOS. They have deep optical imaging data in a series of broad and narrow bands, allowing for the efficient selection of galaxy candidates. Spectroscopic observations are being carried out using the multi-object spectrograph M2FS on the Magellan Clay telescope. M2FS is efficient enough to identify high-redshift galaxies, owing to its 256 optical fibers deployed over a circular field of view 30' in diameter. We have observed similar to 2.5 square degrees. When the program is completed, we expect to identify more than 400 bright LAEs at z approximate to 5.7 and 6.5, and a substantial number of LBGs at z >= 6. This unique sample will be used to study a variety of galaxy properties and to search for large protoclusters. Furthermore, the statistical properties of these galaxies will be used to probe cosmic reionization. We describe the motivation, program design, target selection, and M2FS observations. We also outline our science goals, and present a sample of the brightest LAEs at z approximate to 5.7 and 6.5. This sample contains 32 LAEs with Ly alpha luminosities higher than 10(43) erg s(-1). A few of them reach >= 3 x 10(43) erg s(-1), comparable to the two most luminous LAEs known at z >= 6, "CR7" and "COLA1." These LAEs provide ideal targets to study extreme galaxies in the distant universe.

We map the star formation history across M31 by fitting stellar evolution models to color-magnitude diagrams of each 83 '' x 83 '' (0.3 x 1.4 kpc, deprojected) region of the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey outside of the innermost 6' x 12' portion. We find that most of the star formation occurred prior to similar to 8 Gyr ago, followed by a relatively quiescent period until similar to 4 Gyr ago, a subsequent star formation episode about 2 Gyr ago, and a return to relative quiescence. There appears to be little, if any, structure visible for populations with ages older than 2 Gyr, suggesting significant mixing since that epoch. Finally, assuming a Kroupa initial mass function from 0.1 to 100 M-circle dot, we find that the total amount of star formation over the past 14 Gyr in the area over which we have fit models is 5 x 10(10) M-circle dot. Fitting the radial distribution of this star formation and assuming azimuthal symmetry, (1.5 +/- 0.2). x 10(11) M-circle dot of stars has formed in the M31 disk as a whole, (9 +/- 2) x 10(10). M-circle dot of which has likely survived to the present after accounting for evolutionary effects. This mass is about one-fifth of the total dynamical mass of M31.

Context. The reionization of the Universe is one of the most important topics of present-day astrophysical research. The most plausible candidates for the reionization process are star-forming galaxies, which according to the predictions of the majority of the theoretical and semi-analytical models should dominate the H I ionizing background at z greater than or similar to 3. Aims. We measure the Lyman continuum escape fraction, which is one of the key parameters used to compute the contribution of star-forming galaxies to the UV background. It provides the ratio between the photons produced at lambda <= 912 angstrom rest-frame and those that are able to reach the inter-galactic medium, i.e. that are not absorbed by the neutral hydrogen or by the dust of the galaxy's inter-stellar medium. Methods. We used ultra-deep U-band imaging (U = 30.2 mag at 1 sigma) from Large Binocular Camera at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBC/LBT) in the CANDELS/GOODS-North field and deep imaging in the COSMOS and EGS fields in order to estimate the Lyman continuum escape fraction of 69 star-forming galaxies with secure spectroscopic redshifts at 3.27 <= z <= 3.40 to faint magnitude limits (L = 0.2L*, or equivalently M-1500 similar to -19). The narrow redshift range implies that the LBC U-band filter exclusively samples the lambda <= 912 angstrom rest-frame wavelengths. Results. We measured through stacks a stringent upper limit (<1.7% at 1 sigma) for the relative escape fraction of H I ionizing photons from bright galaxies (L > L*), while for the faint population (L = 0.2L*) the limit to the escape fraction is less than or similar to 10%. We computed the contribution of star-forming galaxies to the observed UV background at z similar to 3 and find that it is not sufficient to keep the Universe ionized at these redshifts unless their escape fraction increases significantly (>= 10%) at low luminosities (M-1500 >= -19). Conclusions. We compare our results on the Lyman continuum escape fraction of high-z galaxies with recent estimates in the literature, and discuss future prospects to shed light on the end of the Dark Ages. In the future, strong gravitational lensing will be fundamental in order to measure the Lyman continuum escape fraction down to faint magnitudes (M-1500 similar to -16) that are inaccessible with the present instrumentation on blank fields. These results will be important in order to quantify the role of faint galaxies to the reionization budget.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / We investigate the link between environment and radiative accretion efficiency using a sample of 8946 radio-loud AGN detected at 1 − 2 GHz in the SDSS Stripe 82 region. We quantify their environments using the surface-density parameter, ƩN, which measures galaxy density based on distances to Nth nearest neighbours. Comparing Ʃ2 and Ʃ5 between AGN and control galaxies, we obtain relative densities that quantify the degree of galaxy clustering around each AGN. Using this, we examine the relation between density and the HERG-LERG dichotomy (accretion-modes) classified using a 1.4 GHz luminosity (L1.4GHz) threshold. Our results indicate that, in the low-redshift interval (0.1 < z < 0.2), LERGs occupy environments denser than the field. At intermediate redshifts (0.2 < z < 1.2), both LERGs and HERGs occupy regions denser than the field. Spearman’s rank tests show that correlations between density and L1.4GHz in both redshift intervals are weak. We conclude that the absence of a strong correlation is confirmation of the idea that galaxy density plays a more secondary role on AGN activity and also, accretion-mode classification (both measured using L1.4GHz). It is likely that the rate of gas accretion or properties of galactic-scale magnetic fields correlate more strongly with L1.4GHz, hence being primarily influential. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

We describe how to estimate the velocity dispersions of ultradiffuse galaxies (UDGs) using a previously defined galaxy scaling relationship. The method is accurate for the two UDGs with spectroscopically measured dispersions, as well as for ultracompact galaxies, ultrafaint galaxies, and stellar systems with little or no dark matter. This universality means that the relationship can be applied without further knowledge or prejudice regarding the structure of a galaxy. We then estimate the velocity dispersions of UDGs drawn from two published samples and examine the distribution of total masses. We find, in agreement with the previous studies of two individual UDGs, that these systems are dark matter dominated systems, and that they span a range of at least 10(10) < M-200/M-circle dot < 10(12). These galaxies are not, as an entire class, either all dwarfs or all failed L-* galaxies. Estimates of the velocity dispersions can also help identify interesting subsets of UDGs, such as those that are likely to have the largest mass-to-light ratios, for subsequent spectroscopic study.

We investigate the optical and Wide-field Survey Explorer (WISE) colors of "E+A" identified post-starburst galaxies, including a deep analysis of 190 post-starbursts detected in the 2 mu m All Sky Survey Extended Source Catalog. The post-starburst galaxies appear in both the optical green valley and the WISE Infrared Transition Zone. Furthermore, we find that post-starbursts occupy a distinct region of [3.4]-[4.6] versus [4.6]-[12] WISE colors, enabling the identification of this class of transitioning galaxies through the use of broadband photometric criteria alone. We have investigated possible causes for the WISE colors of post-starbursts by constructing a composite spectral energy distribution (SED), finding that the mid-infrared (4-12 mu m) properties of post-starbursts are consistent with either 11.3 mu m polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission, or thermally pulsating asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) and post-AGB stars. The composite SED of extended post-starburst galaxies with 22 mu m emission detected with signal-to-noise ratio >= 3 requires a hot dust component to produce their observed rising mid-infrared SED between 12 and 22 mu m. The composite SED of WISE. 22 mu m non-detections (S/N < 3), created by stacking 22 mu m images, is also flat, requiring a hot dust component. The most likely source of the mid-infrared emission of these E+A galaxies is a buried active galactic nucleus (AGN). The inferred upper limits to the Eddington ratios of post-starbursts are 10(-2)-10(-4), with an average of 10(-3). This suggests that AGNs are not radiatively dominant in these systems. This could mean that including selections capable of identifying AGNs as part of a search for transitioning and post-starburst galaxies would create a more complete census of the transition pathways taken as a galaxy quenches its star formation.

We present a measurement of the abundance of carbon monoxide in the early universe, utilizing the final results from the CO Power Spectrum Survey (COPSS). Between 2013 and 2015, we performed observations with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Array to measure aggregate CO emission from z similar to 3 galaxies with the intensity mapping technique. Data were collected on 19 fields, covering an area of 0.7 square degrees, over the frequency range 27-35 GHz. With these data, along with data analyzed in COPSS I, we are able to observe the CO(1-0) transition within the redshift range z = 2.3-3.3 for spatial frequencies between k = 0.5-10 h Mpc(-1), spanning a comoving volume of 4.9 x 10(6) h(-3) Mpc(3). We present estimates of contributions from continuum sources and ground illumination within our measurement. We constrain the amplitude of the CO power spectrum to P-CO = 3.0(-1.3)(+1.3) x 10(3) mu K-2(h(-1) Mpc)(3), or Delta(2)(CO)(k=1 h Mpc(-1)) = 1.5(-0.7)(+0.7) x 10(3) mu K-2, at 68% confidence, and PCO > 0 at 98.9% confidence. These results are a factor of 10 improvement in sensitivity compared to those of COPSS I. With this measurement, we constrain on the CO(1-0) galaxy luminosity function at z similar to 3. Assuming that CO emission is proportional to halo mass and using theoretical estimates of the scatter in this relationship, we constrain the ratio of CO(1-0) luminosity to halo mass to A(CO) = 6.3(-2.1)(+1.4) x 10 (7) L circle dot M circle dot-1. Assuming a Milky Way-like linear relationship between CO luminosity and molecular gas mass, we estimate a mass fraction of molecular gas of f(H2) = 5.5(-2.2)(+3.4) x 10(-2) for halos with masses of similar to 10(12)M(circle dot). Using theoretical estimates for the scaling of molecular gas mass fraction and halo mass, we estimate the cosmic molecular gas density to be rho(z similar to 3) (H-2) = 1.1(-0.4)(+0.7) x 10(8) M(circle dot)Mpc(-3).

Motivated by the desire to investigate two of the largest outstanding problems in galactic evolution -- stellar feedback and galactic chemical evolution -- we develop the first set of galaxy-scale simulations that simultaneously follow star formation with individual stars and their associated multi-channel stellar feedback and multi-element metal yields. We developed these simulations to probe the way in which stellar feedback, including stellar winds, stellar radiation, and supernovae, couples to the interstellar medium (ISM), regulates star formation, and drives outflows in dwarf galaxies. We follow the evolution of the individual metal yields associated with these stars in order to trace how metals mix within the ISM and are ejected into the circumgalactic and intergalactic media (CGM, IGM) through outflows. This study is directed with the ultimate goal of leveraging the ever increasing quality of stellar abundance measurements within our own Milky Way galaxy and in nearby dwarf galaxies to understand galactic evolution. Our simulations follow the evolution of an idealized, isolated, low mass dwarf galaxy (Mvir ∼ 10^9 M ) for ∼ 500 Myr using the adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamics code Enzo. We implemented a new star formation routine which deposits stars individually from 1 M to 100 M . Using tabulated stellar properties, we follow the stellar feedback from each star. For massive stars (M∗ > 8 M ) we follow their stellar winds, ionizing radiation (using an adaptive ray-tracing radiative transfer method), the FUV radiation which leads to photoelectric heating of dust grains, Lyman-Werner radiation, which leads to H2 dissociation, and core collapse supernovae. In addition, we follow the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) winds of low-mass stars (M∗ < 8 M ) and Type Ia supernovae. We investigate how this detailed model for stellar feedback drives the evolution of low mass galaxies. We find agreement with previous studies that these low mass dwarf galaxies exhibit bursty, irregular star formation histories with significant feedback-driven winds. Using these simulations, we investigate the role that stellar radiation feedback plays in the evolution of low mass dwarf galaxies. In this regime, we find that the local effects of stellar radiation (within ~ 10 pc of the massive, ionizing source star) act to regulate star formation by rapidly destroying cold, dense gas around newly formed stars. For the first time, we find that the long-range radiation effects far from the birth sites are vital for carving channels of diffuse gas in the ISM which dramatically increase the effect of supernovae. We find this effect is necessary to drive strong winds with significant mass loading factors and has a significant impact on the metal content of the ISM. Focusing on the evolution of individual metals within this galaxy, it remains an outstanding question as to what degree (if any) metal mixing processes in a multi-phase ISM influence observed stellar abundance patterns. To address this issue, we characterize the time evolution of the metal mass fraction distributions of each of the tracked elements in our simulation in each phase of the ISM. For the first time, we demonstrate that there are significant differences in how individual metals are sequestered in each gas phase (from cold, neutral gas up to hot, ionized gas) that depend upon the energetics of the enrichment sources that dominate the production of a given metal species. We find that AGB wind elements have much broader distributions (i.e. are poorly mixed) as compared to elements released in supernovae. In addition, we demonstrate that elements dominated by AGB wind production are retained at a much higher fraction than elements released in core collapse supernovae (by a factor of ~ 5). We expand upon these findings with a more careful study of how varying the energy and spatial location of a given enrichment event changes how its metal yields mix within the ISM. We play particular attention to events that could be associated with different channels of r-process enrichment (for example, neutron star - neutron star mergers vs. hypernovae) as a way to characterize how mixing / ejection differences may manifest themselves in observed abundance patterns in low mass dwarf galaxies. We find that -- on average -- the injection energy of a given enrichment source and the galaxy's global SFR at the time of injection play the strongest roles in regulating the mixing and ejection behavior of metals. Lower energy events are retained at a greater fraction and are more inhomogeneously distributed than metals from more energetic sources. However, the behavior of any single source varies dramatically, particularly for the low energy enrichment events. We further characterize the effect of radial position and local ISM density on the evolution of metals from single enrichment events. Finally, we summarize how this improved physical model of galactic chemical evolution that demonstrates that metal mixing and ejection from galaxies is not uniform across metal species can be used to improve significantly upon current state of the art galactic chemical evolution models. These improvements stand to help improve our understanding of galactic chemical evolution and reconcile outstanding disagreements between current models and observations.

Measurements of hydrogen are important in our understanding of the Universe. Following reionization at z ∼ 6, most of the hydrogen outside galaxies is in an ionized state. Within galaxies, hydrogen passes through a neutral phase as it cools and collapses into molecular hydrogen and then to stars. This work centers around how galactic reservoirs of neutral hydrogen (HI) evolve over cosmic time. We know that cosmic star formation peaks at z ∼ 2 and sharply declines to the present day, yet we know very little about the gas reservoirs in individual galaxies that lead to star formation through these redshifts. The Very Large Array’s (VLA) recent upgrade has made it possible to probe a large instantaneous bandwidth with HI imaging surveys beyond the local Universe. The COSMOS HI Large Extragalactic Survey (CHILES) is a 1000-hour program using the Karl G. Jansky VLA that will image HI in a redshift range of 0 < z < 0.45. With our first epoch of data, we study the galaxy properties of a sample of ten nearby galaxies. We find that our data follow known scaling relations. Both theory and observations suggest that large-scale structure impacts galaxy evolution in addition to known trends in local density. We find that galaxy spins tend to be aligned with cosmic web filaments and a hint of the predicted transition mass associated with the spin angle alignment. With our second epoch of data from the CHILES survey, we probe the high-redshift regime. We present two new HI detections at z = 0.257 and z = 0.258, plus a stacked result at z ∼ 0.36. We combine these results with the previously published CHILES samples. This provides, for the first time, a continuous look at directly detected HI in emission over redshift range 0 < z < 0.45. We strengthen our epoch one comic web results, finding a perpendicular galaxy spin alignment with the cosmic web for a high-mass HI detection and a parallel galaxy spin alignment for a gas-rich low-mass HI detection embedded within a cosmic web filament. Having HI content, morphology, and kinematics, along with knowledge of the large-scale environments across substantial cosmic time spanning one-third the age of the Universe, will help shed light on the overall origin and fate of gas in galaxies.