Evolution of Disc Galaxies using the Volumetric Star Formation Law

Elsjan, Marthe M.H. (2023) Evolution of Disc Galaxies using the Volumetric Star Formation Law. Bachelor's Thesis, Astronomy.

Preview	Text bAST_2023_ElsjanMMH.pdf Download (915kB) | Preview
	Text toestemming.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (130kB)

Abstract

Cold gas is the fuel for star formation and thus essential for studying galaxy formation and evolution. However, it has been shown that the gas reservoir of present-day galaxies is insufficient to sustain star formation for a long time. Therefore, gas accretion from the external environment is necessary. Fraternali & Tomassetti (2012) developed an analytical model for the evolution of a disc galaxy to estimate the gas accretion rate as a function of time in a sample of present-day spiral galaxies. In this thesis, we expand on the model of Fraternali & Tomassetti (2012) by implementing a novel star formation law linking the gas and the star formation rate volume densities. This is the volumetric star formation (VSF) law, which has a different shape than the Kennicutt relation used previously, with a crucial impact on the gas accretion profile required to sustain star formation. In particular, we explore the effect of changing the star formation law on the evolution of the Milky Way. We find that, by adopting the VSF law, the gas accretion is slightly increased over the whole star-forming disc compared to the model based on the Kennicutt law, but otherwise similar. We find the gas accretion has decreased over time, especially in the inner galaxy. Using two-dimensional maps of the gas accretion rate in the galaxy, we see signs of flaring in the outskirts and that the central region of gas accretion shifts more towards the outskirts over time, until it reaches near null presently

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Fraternali, F. and Starkenburg, E.
Degree programme:	Astronomy
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	17 Jul 2023 10:33
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2023 10:33
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/30666

Actions (login required)

View Item