We present deep optical images of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC) using a low cost telephoto lens with a wide field of view to explore stellar substructure in the outskirts of the stellar disk of the LMC (< 10 degrees from the LMC center). These data have higher resolution than existing star count maps, and highlight the existence of stellar arcs and multiple spiral arms in the northern periphery, with no comparable counterparts in the south. We compare these data to detailed simulations of the LMC disk outskirts, following interactions with its low mass companion, the SMC. We consider interaction in isolation and with the inclusion of the Milky Way tidal field. The simulations are used to assess the origin of the northern structures, including also the low density stellar arc recently identified in the Dark Energy Survey data by Mackey et al. at similar to 15 degrees. We conclude that repeated close interactions with the SMC are primarily responsible for the asymmetric stellar structures seen in the periphery of the LMC. The orientation and density of these arcs can be used to constrain the LMC's interaction history with and impact parameter of the SMC. More generally, we find that such asymmetric structures should be ubiquitous about pairs of dwarfs and can persist for 1-2 Gyr even after the secondary merges entirely with the primary. As such, the lack of a companion around a Magellanic Irregular does not disprove the hypothesis that their asymmetric structures are driven by dwarf-dwarf interactions.

High-mass stars form within star clusters from dense, molecular regions (DMRs), but is the process of cluster formation slow and hydrostatic or quick and dynamic? We link the physical properties of high-mass star-forming regions with their evolutionary stage in a systematic way, using Herschel and Spitzer data. In order to produce a robust estimate of the relative lifetimes of these regions, we compare the fraction of DMRs above a column density associated with high-mass star formation, N(H-2) > 0.4-2.5 x 10(22) cm(-2), in the "starless" (no signature of stars >= 10 M circle dot forming) and star-forming phases in a 2 degrees x 2(degrees) region of the Galactic Plane centered at l = 30 degrees. Of regions capable of forming high-mass stars on similar to 1 pc scales, the starless (or embedded beyond detection) phase occupies about 60%-70% of the DMR lifetime, and the star-forming phase occupies about 30%-40%. These relative lifetimes are robust over a wide range of thresholds. We outline a method by which relative lifetimes can be anchored to absolute lifetimes from large-scale surveys of methanol masers and UCHII regions. A simplistic application of this method estimates the absolute lifetime of the starless phase to be 0.2-1.7 Myr (about 0.6-4.1 fiducial cloud free-fall times) and the star-forming phase to be 0.1-0.7 Myr (about 0.4-2.4 free-fall times), but these are highly uncertain. This work uniquely investigates the star-forming nature of high column density gas pixel by pixel, and our results demonstrate that the majority of high column density gas is in a starless or embedded phase.

In the era of high-precision astrometry, space observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Gaia are providing unprecedented 6D phase-space information of satellite galaxies. Such measurements can shed light on the structure and assembly history of the Local Group, but improved statistical methods are needed to use them efficiently. Here we illustrate such a method using analogues of the Local Group's two most massive satellite galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Triangulum (M33), from the Illustris dark-matter-only cosmological simulation. We use a Bayesian inference scheme combining measurements of positions, velocities and specific orbital angular momenta (j) of the LMC/M33 with importance sampling of their simulated analogues to compute posterior estimates of the Milky Way (MW) and Andromeda's (M31) halo masses. We conclude that the resulting host halo mass is more susceptible to bias when using measurements of the current position and velocity of satellites, especially when satellites are at short-lived phases of their orbits (i.e. at pericentre). Instead, the j value of a satellite is well conserved over time and provides a more reliable constraint on host mass. The inferred virial mass of the MW(M31) using j of the LMC (M33) is M-vir,M- MW = 1.02(-0.55)(+0.77) x 10(12) M-circle dot (M-vir,M- M31 = 1.37(-0.75)(+1.39) x 10(12) M-circle dot). Choosing simulated analogues whose j values are consistent with the conventional picture of a previous (<3 Gyr ago), close encounter (<100 kpc) of M33 about M31 results in a very low virial mass for M31 (similar to 10(12) M-circle dot). This supports the new scenario put forth in Patel, Besla & Sohn, wherein M33 is on its first passage about M31 or on a long-period orbit. We conclude that this Bayesian inference scheme, utilizing satellite j, is a promising method to reduce the current factor of 2 spread in the mass range of the MW and M31. This method is easily adaptable to include additional satellites as new 6D phase-space information becomes available from HST, Gaia and the James Webb Space Telescope.

We present a multi-epoch Hubble Space Telescope (HST) study of stellar proper motions (PMs) for four fields along the Orphan Stream. We determine absolute PMs of several individual stars per target field using established techniques that utilize distant background galaxies to define a stationary reference frame. Five Orphan Stream stars are identified in one of the four fields based on combined color-magnitude and PM information. The average PM is consistent with the existing model of the Orphan Stream by Newberg et al. In addition to the Orphan Stream stars, we detect stars that likely belong to other stellar streams. To identify which stellar streams these stars belong to, we examine the 2d bulk motion of each group of stars on the sky by subtracting the PM contribution of the solar motion (which is a function of position on the sky and distance) from the observed PMs, and comparing the vector of net motion with the spatial extent of known stellar streams. By doing this, we identify candidate stars in the Sagittarius and Lethe streams, and a newly found stellar stream at a distance of similar to 17 kpc, which we tentatively name the "Parallel Stream." Together with our Sagittarius stream study, this work demonstrates that even in the Gaia era, HST will continue to be advantageous in measuring PMs of old stellar populations on a star-by-star basis, especially for distances beyond similar to 10 kpc.

The environmental conditions in the center of the Milky Way galaxy (Central Molecular Zone; CMZ) are much more extreme than in the disk of the galaxy with molecular gas properties similar to those seen in galaxies at z~2. While the CMZ hosts several massive star clusters, the formation of stars from these dense molecular clouds and the feedback of these massive stars on the ISM is not well understood. I present in my thesis a case study of a few regions in the CMZ using VLA continuum and spectral line observations. I explore feedback eects of recent star formation (a young massive stellar cluster) on the surrounding ISM (molecular and ionized gas). Using the kinematic information of molecular and ionized gas, obtained dierent species of spectral lines, I will determine the line of sight geometry of the dierent gas components. I will then establish the relationship of these components to the larger structure of molecular gas in the CMZ.

This paper provides an update of our previous scaling relations between galaxy-integrated molecular gas masses, stellar masses, and star formation rates (SFRs), in the framework of the star formation main sequence (MS), with the main goal of testing for possible systematic effects. For this purpose our new study combines three independent methods of determining molecular gas masses from CO line fluxes, far-infrared dust spectral energy distributions, and similar to 1 mm dust photometry, in a large sample of 1444 star-forming galaxies between z = 0 and 4. The sample covers the stellar mass range log(M-*/M-circle dot) = 9.0-11.8, and SFRs relative to that on the MS, delta MS = SFR/SFR (MS), from 10(-1.3) to 10(2.2). Our most important finding is that all data sets, despite the different techniques and analysis methods used, follow the same scaling trends, once method-to-method zero-point offsets are minimized and uncertainties are properly taken into account. The molecular gas depletion time t(depl), defined as the ratio of molecular gas mass to SFR, scales as (1 + z)(-0.6) x (delta MS)(-0.44) and is only weakly dependent on stellar mass. The ratio of molecular to stellar mass mu(gas) depends on (1+ z)(2.5) x (delta MS)(0.52) x (M-*)(-0.36), which tracks the evolution of the specific SFR. The redshift dependence of mu(gas) requires a curvature term, as may the mass dependences of t(depl) and mu(gas). We find no or only weak correlations of t(depl) and mu(gas) with optical size R or surface density once one removes the above scalings, but we caution that optical sizes may not be appropriate for the high gas and dust columns at high z.

In this second installment of the series, we look at the internal kinematics of the multiple stellar populations of the globular cluster omega Centauri in one of the parallel Hubble Space Telescope (HST) fields, located at about 3.5 hal-flight radii from the center of the cluster. Thanks to the over 15 yr long baseline and the exquisite astrometric precision of the HST cameras, well-measured stars in our proper-motion catalog have errors as low as similar to 10 mu as yr(-1), and the catalog itself extends to near the hydrogen-burning limit of the cluster. We show that second-generation (2G) stars are significantly more radially anisotropic than first-generation (1G) stars. The latter are instead consistent with an isotropic velocity distribution. In addition, 1G stars have excess systemic rotation in the plane of the sky with respect to 2G stars. We show that the six populations below the main-sequence (MS) knee identified in our first paper are associated with the five main population groups recently isolated on the upper MS in the core of cluster. Furthermore, we find both 1G and 2G stars in the field to be far from being in energy equipartition, with eta(1G) = -0.007 +/- 0.026 for the former and eta(2G) = 0.074 +/- 0.029 for the latter, where eta is defined so that the velocity dispersion sigma(mu) scales with stellar mass as sigma(mu) proportional to m(-eta). The kinematical differences reported here can help constrain the formation mechanisms for the multiple stellar populations in omega Centauri and other globular clusters. We make our astro-photometric catalog publicly available.

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 present new proper motion (PM) measurements of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) Draco and Sculptor using multiepoch images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope ACS/WFC. Our PM results have uncertainties far lower than previous measurements, even those made with the same instrument. The PM results for Draco and Sculptor are (mu(W),mu(N))(Dra) = (-0.0562 +/- 0.0099, -0.1765 +/- 0.0100 mas yr(-1) and (mu(W), mu(N) )(Scl) = (-0.0296 +/- 0.0209, 0.1358 +/- 0.0214 mas yr(-1)) -1. The implied Galactocentric velocity vectors for Draco and Sculptor have radial and tangential components: (V-rad, V-tan)(Dra) =(-88.6, 161.4) +/- (4.4, 5.6) km s(-1) and (V-rad, V-tan )(Scl) = (72.6, 200.2)+/-(1.3, 10.8) km s(-1). We study the detailed orbital histories of both Draco and Sculptor via numerical orbit integrations. Orbital periods of Draco and Sculptor are found to be 1-2 Gyr and 2-5 Gyr, respectively, accounting for uncertainties in the Milky Way (MW) mass. We also study the influence of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) on the orbits of Draco and Sculptor. Overall, the inclusion of the LMC increases the scatter in the orbital results. Based on our calculations, Draco shows a rather wide range of orbital parameters depending on the MW mass and inclusion/exclusion of the LMC, but Sculptor's orbit is very well constrained, with its most recent pericentric approach to the MW being 0.3-0.4 Gyr ago. Our new PMs imply that the orbital trajectories of both Draco and Sculptor are confined within the " Disk of Satellites," better so than implied by earlier PM measurements, and likely rule out the possibility that these two galaxies were accreted together as part of a tightly bound group.

We present N-body and hydrodynamical simulations of the response of the Milky Way's baryonic disc to the presence of the Large Magellanic Cloud during a first infall scenario. For a fiducial Galactic model reproducing the gross properties of the Galaxy, we explore a set of six initial conditions for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) of varying mass which all evolve to fit the measured constraints on its current position and velocity with respect to the Galactic Centre. We find that the LMC can produce strong disturbances - warping of the stellar and gaseous discs - in the Galaxy, without violating constraints from the phase-space distribution of stars in the Solar Neighbourhood. All models correctly reproduce the phases of the warp and its antisymmetrical shape about the disc's mid-plane. If the warp is due to the LMC alone, then the largest mass model is favoured (2.5 x 10(11) M-circle dot). Still, some quantitative discrepancies remain, including deficits in height of Delta Z = 0.7 kpc at R = 22 kpc and Delta Z = 0.7 kpc at R = 16 kpc. This suggests that even higher infall masses for the LMC's halo are allowed by the data. A comparison with the vertical perturbations induced by a heavy Sagittarius dSph model (10(11) M-circle dot) suggest that positive interference with the LMC warp is expected at R = 16 kpc. We conclude that the vertical structure of the Galactic disc beyond the Solar Neighbourhood may jointly be shaped by its most massive satellites. As such, the current structure of the Milky Way suggests we are seeing the process of disc heating by satellite interactions in action.