We use cosmological simulations to study a characteristic evolution pattern of high redshift galaxies. Early, stream-fed, highly perturbed, gas-rich discs undergo phases of dissipative contraction into compact, star-forming systems ("blue" nuggets) at z ∼ 4 − 2. The peak of gas compaction marks the onset of central gas depletion and inside-out quenching into compact ellipticals (red nuggets) by z ∼ 2. These are sometimes surrounded by gas rings or grow extended dry stellar envelopes. The compaction occurs at a roughly constant specific starformation rate (SFR), and the quenching occurs at a constant stellar surface density within the inner kpc (Σ 1 ). Massive galaxies quench earlier, faster, and at a higher Σ 1 than lower-mass galaxies, which compactify and attempt to quench more than once. This evolution pattern is consistent with the way galaxies populate the SFR-size-mass space, and with gradients and scatter across the main sequence. The compaction is triggered by an intense inflow episode, involving (mostly minor) mergers, counter-rotating streams or recycled gas, and is commonly associated with violent disc instability. The contraction is dissipative, with the inflow rate >SFR, and the maximum Σ 1 anti-correlated with the initial spin parameter . The central quenching is triggered by the high SFR and stellar/supernova feedback (maybe also AGN feedback) due to the high central gas density, while the central inflow weakens as the disc vanishes. Suppression of fresh gas supply by a hot halo allows the longterm maintenance of quenching once above a threshold halo mass, inducing the quenching downsizing.

We present 0 ′′ .2-resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations at 870 µm for 25 Hα-seleced star-forming galaxies around the main-sequence at z = 2.2 − 2.5. We detect significant 870 µm continuum emission in 16 (64%) of these galaxies. The high-resolution maps reveal that the dust emission is mostly radiated from a single region close to the galaxy center. Exploiting the visibility data taken over a wide uv distance range, we measure the half-light radii of the rest-frame far-infrared emission for the best sample of 12 massive galaxies with log(M * /M ⊙ ) >11. We find nine galaxies to be associated with extremely compact dust emission with R 1/2,870µm < 1.5 kpc, which is more than a factor of 2 smaller than their rest-optical sizes, R 1/2,1.6µm =3.2 kpc, and is comparable with optical sizes of massive quiescent galaxies at similar redshifts. As they have an exponential disk with Sérsic index of n 1.6µm =1.2 in the rest-optical, they are likely to be in the transition phase from extended disks to compact spheroids. Given their high star formation rate surface densities within the central 1 kpc of ΣSFR 1kpc = 40 M ⊙ yr −1 kpc −2 , the intense circumnuclear starbursts can rapidly build up a central bulge with ΣM * ,1kpc > 10 10 M ⊙ kpc −2 in several hundred Myr, i.e. by z ∼ 2. Moreover, ionized gas kinematics reveal that they are rotation-supported with an angular momentum as large as that of typical star-forming galaxies at z = 1 − 3. Our results suggest bulges are commonly formed in extended rotating disks by internal processes, not involving major mergers.

We utilize zoom-in cosmological simulations to study the nature of violent disc instability (VDI) in clumpy galaxies at high redshift, z = 1-5. Our simulated galaxies are not in the ideal state assumed in Toomre instability, of linear fluctuations in an isolated, uniform, rotating disk. There, instability is characterised by a Q parameter below unity, and lower when the disk is thick. Instead, the high-redshift discs are highly perturbed. Over long periods they consist of non-linear perturbations, compact massive clumps and extended structures, with new clumps forming in inter-clump regions. This is while the galaxy is subject to frequent external perturbances. We compute the local, two-component Q parameter for gas and stars, smoothed on a ∼ 1 kpc scale to capture clumps of 10 8−9 M ⊙ . The Q < 1 regions are confined to collapsed clumps due to the high surface density there, while the inter-clump regions show Q significantly higher than unity. Tracing the clumps back to their relatively smooth Lagrangian patches, we find that Q prior to clump formation typically ranges from unity to a few. This is unlike the expectations from standard Toomre instability. We discuss possible mechanisms for high-Q clump formation, e.g. rapid turbulence decay leading to small clumps that grow by mergers, non-axisymmetric instability, or clump formation induced by non-linear perturbations in the disk. Alternatively, the high-Q non-linear VDI may be stimulated by the external perturbations such as mergers and counter-rotating streams. The high Q may represent excessive compressive modes of turbulence, possibly induced by tidal interactions.

The dynamical friction problem is a long‐standing dilemma about globular clusters (hereafter GCs) belonging to dwarf galaxies. GCs are strongly affected by dynamical friction in dwarf galaxies, and are presumed to fall into the galactic centre. But, GCs do exist in dwarf galaxies generally. A solution of the problem has been proposed. If dwarf galaxies have a core dark matter halo which has constant density distribution in its centre, the effect of dynamical friction will be weakened considerably, and GCs should be able to survive beyond the age of the Universe. Then, the solution argued that, in a cored dark halo, interaction between the halo and the GC constructs a new equilibrium state, in which a part of the halo rotates along with the GC (corotating state). The equilibrium state can suppress the dynamical friction in the core region. In this study, I tested whether the solution is reasonable and reconsidered why a constant density, core halo suppresses dynamical friction, by means of N‐body simulations. As a result, I conclude that the true mechanism of suppressed dynamical friction is not the corotating state, although a core halo can actually suppress dynamical friction on GCs significantly.