Hintze Centre for Astrophysical Surveys

Abstract:

We present a summary of the physical and chemical properties we have obtained for the molecular gas found in galaxies, an essential triggering ingredient to any star formation (SF) process. In particular, we focus our studies on the molecular gas phases as traced by CO, HCO+ and CS line emissions, in a sample of galaxies including starbursts-SBs-, irregulars galaxies, low-metallicity sources, normal spirals, mergers, Early Type Galaxies (ETGs), galaxies with an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN), with Cosmic Ray Dominated Regions (CRDRs) and with Photo-Dominated Regions (PDRs). Our studies mix theoretical developments (i.e. computational models) with the acquisition of large observational datatsets (at both low and high spatial resolution) that we then compare in order to better determine the conditions under which some SF activity is starting and/or is maintained. © 2013 International Astronomical Union.

Abstract:

The search for transient phenomena in the Universe has entered a new era. In the next decade new all-sky surveys will provide a vast amount of astronomical survey data. These data will address issues in many of the astronomical fields. In the Supernova field, we will have for the first time the possibility to discover SNe without most of the observational bias present in the previous SN searches. Here we report the status of the transients study in one of the new on-going all-sky surveys: the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System-1 (PanStarrs-1).