Ivan Minchev (Astrophysical Institute Potsdam)

Ivan Minchev Colloquium -- Constraining the formation and evolution of galactic discs through numerical models

Abstract

I will discuss various galactic dynamics problems related to our understanding of the formation and evolution of disc galaxies. It will be demonstrated that if radial migration is indeed responsible for the formation of extended galactic discs, then they must be kinematically hot because of the approximate conservation of stellar radial and vertical actions. While contributing to disc thickening in the disc outskirts, radial migration will be shown to have minimal effect at intermediate radii (R<3-4 scale-lengths), thus unable to explain the formation of thick discs. Finally, a new method for modeling the chemo-dynamical evolution of galactic discs will be introduced. Focusing on the Milky Way, I will show that this model is consistent with nearly all currently available data and will outline some predictions for forthcoming large-scale spectroscopic surveys.