演講資訊

摘要：

Nearby galaxies hold many clues to their formation and evolution, and I will present some of the new insights that are coming from the Atlas3D project. We study a volume-limited sample of low-redshift early-type (elliptical and lenticular) galaxies with integral field optical spectroscopy, giving information on the galaxies' stellar kinematics, stellar populations, and ionized gas. The optical data are supplemented with deep HI and CO interferometry and with semi-analytic and numerical simulations. The stellar kinematic data showcase a surprising diversity of internal structures, which we interpret in the context of galaxy formation processes such as major and minor mergers. Our data on the cold gas content and kinematics also allow us to read the histories of gas accretion, consumption, and removal from the galaxies. I will highlight some areas where the early-type galaxies can serve as useful constraints on galaxy evolution simulations and some ideas about directions this research might take in the future.