Sebastian Haan (CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science)

GOALS: A multi-wavelength Survey of local Luminous Infrared Galaxies and Major Mergers -- Sebastian Haan Colloquium

Marsfield Lecture Theatre

Abstract

Major mergers are important drivers of galaxy evolution, transform spirals into massive ellipticals, are fueling active galactic nuclei and trigger the most rapid and intense star-formation known in the universe. In particular one galaxy population, namely Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs), are believed to be responsible for most of the star formation that happened in the history of the universe, and hence represent a critical phase in the evolution of galaxies where most of the galaxies mass is building up. The Great Observatories Allsky LIRG Survey (GOALS) combines imaging and spectroscopic data from Spitzer, Hubble, Chandra, GALEX, Herschel, and groundbased telescopes in a complete study of over 200 local LIRGs, providing an unbiased picture of the processes responsible for enhanced infrared emission over a large range of nuclear spectral types (Seyferts, LINERs, and starbursts) and interaction stages (major/minor mergers, and isolated galaxies). This talk will show recent results of this survey with a focus on the nuclear properties of the 88 most luminous LIRGs and their evolution along the merger process.