Professor James Binney FRS

Abstract:

We examine the chemical and dynamical structure in the solar neighbourhood of a model Galaxy that is the endpoint of a simulation of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way in the presence of radial mixing of stars and gas. Although the simulation's star-formation rate declines monotonically from its unique peak and no merger or tidal event ever takes place, the model replicates all known properties of a thick disc, as well as matching special features of the local stellar population such as a metal-poor extension of the thin disc that has high rotational velocity. We divide the disc by chemistry and relate this dissection to observationally more convenient kinematic selection criteria. We conclude that the observed chemistry of the Galactic disc does not provide convincing evidence for a violent origin of the thick disc, as has been widely claimed.

Abstract:

Virtually all massive galaxies, including our own, host central black holes ranging in mass from millions to billions of solar masses. The growth of these black holes releases vast amounts of energy that powers quasars and other weaker active galactic nuclei. A tiny fraction of this energy, if absorbed by the host galaxy, could halt star formation by heating and ejecting ambient gas. A central question in galaxy evolution is the degree to which this process has caused the decline of star formation in large elliptical galaxies, which typically have little cold gas and few young stars, unlike spiral galaxies.

Abstract:

Virtually all massive galaxies, including our own, host central black holes ranging in mass from millions to billions of solar masses. The growth of these black holes releases vast amounts of energy that powers quasars and other weaker active galactic nuclei. A tiny fraction of this energy, if absorbed by the host galaxy, could halt star formation by heating and ejecting ambient gas. A central question in galaxy evolution is the degree to which this process has caused the decline of star formation in large elliptical galaxies, which typically have little cold gas and few young stars, unlike spiral galaxies. © 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

We describe a technique that finds orbits through the Galaxy that are consistent with measurements of a tidal stream, taking into account the extent that tidal streams do not precisely delineate orbits. We show that if accurate line-of-sight velocities are measured along a well defined stream, the technique recovers the underlying orbit through the Galaxy and predicts the distances and proper motions along the stream to high precision. As the error bars on the location and velocities of the stream grow, the technique is able to find more and more orbits that are consistent with the data and the uncertainties in the predicted distances and proper motions increase. With radial-velocity data along a stream ~40deg long and <0.3deg wide on the sky accurate to ~1 km/s the precisions of the distances and tangential velocities along the stream are 4 percent and 5 km/s, respectively. The technique can be used to diagnose the Galactic potential: if circular-speed curve is actually flat, both a Keplerian potential and Phi(r) proportional to r are readily excluded. Given the correct radial density profile for the dark halo, the halo's mass can be determined to a precision of 5 percent.

Abstract:

CONTEXT: The RAVE spectroscopic survey for galactic structure and evolution obtains 8400-8800 Ang spectra at 7500 resolving power at the UK Schmidt Telescope using the 6dF multi-fiber positioner. More than 300,000 925 deg southern stars have been observed to date. AIMS: This paper presents the first intrinsic examination of stellar spectra from the RAVE survey, aimed at evaluating their diagnostic potential for peculiar stars and at contributing to the general understanding of Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs). METHODS: We used the multi-epoch spectra for all seven LBVs observed, between 2005 and 2008, in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) by the RAVE survey. RESULTS: We demonstrate that RAVE spectra possess significant diagnostic potential when applied to peculiar stars and, in particular, LBVs. The behaviour of the radial velocities for both emission and absorption lines, and the spectral changes between outburst and quiescence states are described and found to agree with evidence gathered at more conventional wavelengths. The wind outflow signatures and their variability are investigated, with multi-components detected in S Doradus. Photoionisation modelling of the rich emission line spectrum of R 127 shows evidence of a massive detached ionised shell that was ejected during the 1982-2000 outburst. Surface inhomogeneities in the nuclear-processed material, brought to the surface by heavy mass loss, could have been observed in S Doradus, even if alternative explanations are possible. We also detect the transition from quiescence to outburst state in R 71. Finally, our spectrum of R 84 offers one of the clearest views of its cool companion.