Ay 124 Literature Research Project

The aim of the literature project is to get acquainted with recent discussions in the astronomical journals on the given topic. We expect you to present this in a readable, organised manner in the form of a ~5 page report. It is important to include your own opinions on the matter and the reasons behind these as well as some discussion of where you think the particular subject is moving and what is needed, either observationally or theoretically, to make further progress. The literature project accounts for 20% of the total grade and completed projects should be handed to Elina no later than Monday February 10th. Each will be read by Elina and myself and graded with comments and returned to you within a week or so..

Please let Elina know which of the following topics you are choosing. It is ok for several people to be simultaneously working on the same topic (within reason!). If none of the topics appeals to you and your have your own ideas, please suggest a title for approval to Richard before commencing work on it. Advice on how to begin searching the literature can be obtained from anyone, including Elina and Richard, fellow students and postdocs. A good starting place is the Astronomy Library Web page.

Suggested Topics

1. A Universal Dark Matter Profile 

2. Evolution of the Fundamental Plane of Elliptical Galaxies 

3. Substructure in Galaxy Halos and Clusters of Galaxies 

4. The Black Hole Mass - Galaxy Bulge Connection

5. Numerical Simulations of the First Stars

6. Origin and Evolution of Galactic Bars

7. Shape of the Galactic Halo

8. Dwarf Galaxies in the Local Group 

9.. Future Astrometric Missions and their Impact on Galactic Structure

10. The Origin of cD Galaxies 

11. The Sauron Project: Mergers in Nearby Ellipticals

12. Faint End of the Galaxy Luminosity Function 

 
 

Richard Ellis, January 10th, 2003