Galaxy Evolution Templates

A fundamental goal of astrophysics is to understand the physical processes which drive galaxy evolution. Due to light travel time effects, the entire history of galaxy evolution through cosmic time is open for exploration. I will describe two, related programs to develop local "templates" for the investigation of galaxy evolution at all epochs.

First, we describe the far-UV (FUV) properties of normal and starburst galaxies using imagery obtained by NASA's Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope. These data permit determination of global FUV properties with improved photometric precision, and detailed investigation of galaxy morphology at intermediate (spiral arms, circumnuclear rings), and small (star-forming complexes) spatial scales. The FUV is highly valuable for tracing the spatial distribution of recent star formation, and characterizing global star formation rates. The morphological and photometric properties of galaxies in the FUV are of fundamental importance for interpreting the evolutionary state of distant galaxies detected in deep surveys, where the observed light is the redshifted UV continuum.

Second, I will describe an optical/NIR imaging survey of Luminous Blue Compact Galaxies, systems exhibiting intense massive star formation. LBCGs appear to be the best local-universe analogs to young galaxies in the distant universe. Their morphology, environment, and UV/IR spectra suggest that LBCGs are galaxies "under assembly".