Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 180-192). / Electronic reproduction. / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / xviii, 192 leaves, bound col. ill. 29 cm

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, August, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 27-28).

Thesis (doctoral)--Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, August, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 27-28)

No description available.

In this thesis we construct a B-band catalogue of the local universe which we call the Millennium Galaxy Catalogue (MGC). The MGC is photometrically and astrometrically accurate to +/-0.03 mags and +/-0.08" respectively and covers an area of~ 36 sq deg in the NGP. Colour and redshift information are available from overlapping regions of the two-degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Early Data Release (SDSS-EDR). With an exposure time of 750s and an isophotal surface brightness limit of 26 mags/sq arcsecs, the MGC is the largest and deepest photometric survey of the local universe to-date. As well as containing photometric information, by making use of a newly developed software package-Galaxy Image 2D (GIM2D), and assuming a standard de Vaucouleurs and exponential galaxy profile, the MGC also contains structural parameters (half light radius and (B/T) etc) to all galaxies in the magnitude range 16 < BMGC < 20. By making use of the information in the MGC we are able to classify our galaxies into three morphological types (E/SO, Sabc and Sd/Irr) using (B/T) cuts. In doing this we find that 30.52% of the galaxies form a "new" galaxy population identified by having a (B/T) of exactly 0. After visual inspection this population is found to be a mixture of early and late type star-forming Spirals and Irregular galaxies, all of which have a disk component that is flatter than an exponential. After visually redistributing these galaxies we find that the local galaxy population consists of 28.1% E/SO, 39.64% Sabc and 31.37% Sd/Irr. From the redshift information contained within the MGC we are able to look at the galaxy distribution in terms of physical parameters. We find that the galaxies are distributed in absolute magnitude, surface brightness and half light radii in a manner that is consistent with the hierarchical formation scenario. We derive total and morphological galaxy number counts and, after combining them via a step wise maximum likelihood (SWML) technique, we arrive at morphological LFs. From examining the galaxy counts we find that there is no steep rise in the bright end, eradicating the need for strong local evolution. Also one does not need to renormalise the morphological or total galaxy counts in order for them to be consistent with faitner counts. The Sabc and Sd/Irr LFs are surprisingly similar with both showing a mild faint end slope. We look at the properties of bulges and disks of galaxies. We find that as galaxies become more diskey there bulges move away from the Kormendy law for Elliptical galaxies. Due to the similarity of the Spiral and Irregular population LFs, as well as apparent and intrinsic parameter distributions, we are forced to conclude that one can only reliably distinguish between the Ellipticals and the general galaxy population, and that investigating the bulge and disk components of a galaxy may be more useful than Hubble types.

abstract: New measurements of the Hα luminosity function (LF) and star formation rate (SFR) volume density are presented for galaxies at z∼0.62 in the COSMOS field. These results are part of the Deep And Wide Narrowband Survey (DAWN), a unique infrared imaging program with large areal coverage (∼1.1 deg 2 over 5 fields) and sensitivity (9.9 × 10 −18 erg/cm 2 /s at 5σ). The present sample, based on a single DAWN field, contains 116 Hα emission- line candidates at z∼0.62, 25% of which have spectroscopic confirmations. These candidates have been selected through comparison of narrow and broad-band images in the infrared and through matching with existing catalogs in the COSMOS field. The dust-corrected LF is well described by a Schechter function with L* = 10 42.64±0.92 erg s −1 , Φ* = 10 −3.32±0.93 Mpc −3 (L* Φ* = 10 39.40±0.15 ), and α = −1.75 ± 0.09. From this LF, a SFR density of ρ SF R =10 −1.37±0.08 M○ yr −1 Mpc −3 was calculated. An additional cosmic variance uncertainty of ∼ 20% is also expected. Both the faint end slope and luminosity density that are derived are consistent with prior results at similar redshifts, with reduced uncertainties. An analysis of these Hα emitters’ sizes is also presented, showing a direct corre- lation between the galaxies’ sizes and their Hα emission. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Astrophysics 2017

abstract: This work examines star formation in the debris associated with collisions of dwarf and spiral galaxies. While the spectacular displays of major mergers are famous (e.g., NGC 4038/9, ``The Antennae''), equal mass galaxy mergers are relatively rare compared to minor mergers (mass ratio <0.3) Minor mergers are less energetic than major mergers, but more common in the observable universe and, thus, likely played a pivotal role in the formation of most large galaxies. Centers of mergers host vigorous star formation from high gas density and turbulence and are surveyed over cosmological distances. However, the tidal debris resulting from these mergers have not been well studied. Such regions have large reservoirs of gaseous material that can be used as fuel for subsequent star formation but also have lower gas density. Tracers of star formation at the local and global scale have been examined for three tidal tails in two minor merger systems. These tracers include young star cluster populations, H-alpha, and [CII] emission. The rate of apparent star formation derived from these tracers is compared to the gas available to estimate the star formation efficiency (SFE). The Western tail of NGC 2782 formed isolated star clusters while massive star cluster complexes are found in the UGC 10214 (``The Tadpole'') and Eastern tail of NGC 2782. Due to the lack of both observable CO and [CII] emission, the observed star formation in the Western tail of NGC 2782 may have a low carbon abundance and represent only the first round of local star formation. While the Western tail has a normal SFE, the Eastern tail in the same galaxy has an low observed SFE. In contrast, the Tadpole tidal tail has a high observed star formation rate and a corresponding high SFE. The low SFE observed in the Eastern tail of NGC 2782 may be due to its origin as a splash region where localized gas heating is important. However, the other tails may be tidally formed regions where gravitational compression likely dominates and enhances the local star formation. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Astrophysics 2013

We report the results of a faint quasar survey in a one-square-degree field. The aim is to test the Y - K/g - z and J - K/i - Y color selection criteria for quasars at faint magnitudes to obtain a complete sample of quasars based on deep optical and near-infrared color-color selection and to measure the faint end of the quasar luminosity function (QLF) over a wide redshift range. We carried out a quasar survey based on the Y - K/g - z and J - K/i - Y quasar selection criteria, using the deep Y-band data obtained from our CFHT/WIRCam Y-band images in a two-degree field within the F22 field of the VIMOS VLT deep survey, optical co-added data from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 and deep near-infrared data from the UKIDSS Deep Extragalactic Survey in the same field. We discovered 25 new quasars at 0.5 < z < 4.5 and i < 22.5 mag within one-square-degree field. The survey significantly increases the number of faint quasars in this field, especially at z similar to 2-3. It confirms that our color selections are highly complete in a wide redshift range (z < 4.5), especially over the quasar number density peak at z similar to 2-3, even for faint quasars. Combining all previous known quasars and new discoveries, we construct a sample with 109 quasars and measure the binned QLF and parametric QLF. Although the sample is small, our results agree with a pure luminosity evolution at lower redshift and luminosity evolution and density evolution model at redshift z > 2.5.

We present a survey of the [C II] 158 mu m line and underlying far-infrared (FIR) dust continuum emission in a sample of 27 greater than or similar to 6 quasars using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) at similar to 1 '' resolution. The [C II] line was significantly detected (at > 5-sigma) in 23 sources (85%). We find typical line luminosities of L-[C (II]) = 10(9-10) L-circle dot, and an average line width of similar to 385 km s(-1). The [C II]-to-far-infrared luminosity ratios ([C II]/FIR) in our sources span one order of magnitude, highlighting a variety of conditions in the star-forming medium. Four quasar host galaxies are clearly resolved in their [C II] emission on a few kpc scales. Basic estimates of the dynamical masses of the host galaxies give masses between 2 x 10(10) and 2 x 10(11) M-circle dot, i.e., more than an order of magnitude below what is expected from local scaling relations, given the available limits on the masses of the central black holes (> 3 x 10(8) M-circle dot, assuming Eddington-limited accretion). In stacked ALMA [C II] spectra of individual sources in our sample, we find no evidence of a deviation from a single Gaussian profile. The quasar luminosity does not strongly correlate with either the [C II] luminosity or equivalent width. This survey (with typical on-source integration times of 8 minutes) showcases the unparalleled sensitivity of ALMA at millimeter wavelengths, and offers a unique reference sample for the study of the first massive galaxies in the universe.