CHARACTERISING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF A2626 GALAXIES

Project Description:

Galaxies in clusters provide a unique laboratory for studying galaxy evolution due to their dense environments and the strong external forces at play. One key observational feature that can shed light on a galaxy’s history is its colour gradient, i.e. the variation in colour from the galaxy's core to its outskirts. This project aims to analyse the colour gradients of galaxies in the Abell 2626 galaxy cluster to better understand how environmental factors influence galaxy evolution. We have data for the Abell 2626 (A2626) galaxy cluster already at a range of wavelengths including publicly available optical imaging, proprietary optical spectroscopy and interferometric radio data (see Healy, Willner+ 2021, Healy, Deb+ 2021). In 2019, we started with a 15 hour pointing with MeerKAT to observe the neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) in the cluster, this was extended in 2021 and 2023 to observe a total of 9 pointings with MeerKAT at higher spectral resolution – this has become the PRABHA survey. All these observations have enabled us to identify substructure within the cluster and explore how the HI content of the cluster galaxies is being affected by the local (substructure) and global (cluster) environments. However, what has yet to be explored, is how the optical properties of the galaxies are affected in these different environments. In this project, we will be exploring the optical properties of the galaxies, through analysis of colour gradients within the galaxies in the different environments. The colour gradient in a galaxy reflects variations in its stellar populations, star formation history, and metallicity. The colour gradient can serve as a valuable diagnostic tool to trace how galaxies evolve over time.

Research Area:

Astronomy

Project Level:

Masters

This Project Is Offered At The Following Node(s):

(UCT)