Galaxy Formation and Evolution Dynamics
Summary
Galaxy formation and evolution dynamics describe the sequence by which primordial density fluctuations in the expanding Universe collapse into dark matter haloes, drawing in baryonic gas that cools, fragments and ignites star formation. Within these haloes, angular momentum and gas accretion govern the emergence of rotationally supported discs or pressure-supported spheroids. Star formation proceeds in cold molecular clouds, while stellar winds, supernovae and active galactic nuclei inject energy that can drive galactic outflows and regulate further star formation. Galaxies grow through a combination of smooth gas accretion and hierarchical mergers; minor interactions can thicken discs and trigger bursts of star formation, whereas major mergers often transform discs into ellipticals and accelerate morphological evolution. Over cosmic time, feedback processes and environmental factors—such as tidal interactions and the availability of cold gas—determine the efficiency of star formation and the onset of quenching, the transition to a passive state with little or no star formation. This interplay between internal physics and external influences shapes the observable properties of galaxies, from their stellar mass and chemical enrichment to their morphology and kinematics.
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Galaxy Formation and Evolution Dynamics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in galaxy formation and evolution dynamics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Dark matter halo: Gravitationally bound region dominated by dark matter that hosts a galaxy and its gaseous components.
Star formation rate (SFR): Mass of gas converted into stars per unit time within a galaxy.
Specific star formation rate (sSFR): Star formation rate divided by the stellar mass, indicating the relative growth rate of a galaxy.
ΣSFR: Star formation rate surface density, defined as SFR per unit area of the star-forming region.
Quenching: Process by which a galaxy’s star formation is suppressed or halted, leading to a passive state.
Cosmic web: Large-scale network of filaments, walls and voids formed by dark matter and gas, dictating galaxy distribution.
References
- Deep optical imaging of star-forming blue early-type galaxies. Astronomy & Astrophysics (2023).
- ΣSFR–M ∗ Diagram: A Valuable Galaxy Evolution Diagnostic to Complement (s)SFR–M ∗ Diagrams. The Astrophysical Journal (2023).
- Relaxed blue ellipticals: accretion-driven stellar growth is a key evolutionary channel for low mass elliptical galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2023).
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