I am an ASTRO3D Postdoctoral Researcher at Swinburne University of Technology, in Melbourne.
My research work consists of understanding how galaxies evolve by examining the properties and kinematics of their gas content. I use multi-wavelength observational data, in the visible as well as in the radio ranges, to study the physical mechanisms driving galaxy evolution.
Star formation activity and quenching
- Current work : galaxy wind profiles, vertical structure of the ISM
- PhD thesis : mechanisms of star formation quenching in local galaxies
I have studied a sample of nearby galaxies, using multi-wavelength data, in order to understand how their star formation activity relates to their stellar properties, gas content, kinematics and ionisation. I have used the MaNGA survey data, which is a integral-field spectroscopic survey providing kpc-scale observations of gas and stars in more than 10000 galaxies in the Local Universe.
A detailed analysis of the spectral features of the ionised gas emission lines within one of these galaxies enabled us to reveal that this system is actually an interacting pair of galaxies aligned on our observer’s line of sight. We were able to disentangle the stellar and gaseous emission of both of these galaxies.
- Optical Imaging Fourier Transform Spectroscopy with SITELLE of the galaxy merger IIZw96
IIZw96 is a system of merging galaxies. Not only it has thus a bizarre shape, but also it is very infrared-bright and it actively forms stars.
With Dr Andreea Petric, I have studied this dancing system.
Respective credits : NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University) / ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, L. Armus, A. Evans
🌌 Lay summary
Galaxies are made of stars, dust and gas. The latter is the reservoir for star formation and observing it in order to study its physical properties therefore makes it possible to understand the mechanisms that regulate the star formation activity of a galaxy.
However, at present, we are unable to establish a global paradigm on the processes that stop (or « quench ») star formation.
Why do some galaxies stop forming new stars? Is it due to a gas depletion? Or is it due to a lack of efficiency in transforming gas into stars?
To address these questions, I study a sample of 29 galaxies of different morphology and colour but chosen because they all show signs of kinematic perturbations at least in their central part. The new analysis methodology that I have developed and applied to the data has made it possible, for one of these galaxies, to highlight the superposition of two objects on the line of sight. This galactic interaction process revealed, the analysis is completed by observations in other wavelength ranges to study the impact of the merger on the different phases of the gas.
Dr. Barbara Mazzilli Ciraulo 