Cosmic Star-Formation History

Abstract

Abstract. I review some recent progress made in our understanding of galaxy evolution and the cosmic history of star formation. Like bookends, the results obtained from deep ground-based spectroscopy and from the Hubble Deep Field imaging survey put brackets around the intermediate redshift interval, 1 < z < 2, where starbirth probably peaked at a rate 10 times higher than today. The steady decline observed since z ∼ 1 is largely associated with late-type galaxies. At z > ∼ 2.5, the Lyman-break selected objects may represent the precursors of present-day spheroids, but appear, on average, quite underluminous relative to the expectations of the standard early-and-rapidly forming picture for spheroidal systems. The observed ultraviolet light density accounts for the bulk of the metals seen today in "normal" massive galaxies.

Star formation sustained by gas accretion

“…The star-formation rate over the history of the universe has been studied since the mid90s (e.g., Lilly et al 1996;Madau et al 1996;Steidel et al 1999;Ouchi et al 2004;Madau and Dickinson 2014). It requires observing faint objects at high redshift and is thus one of the primary drivers for building larger telescopes with adaptive optics and infrared sensitivity.…”

“…The color coding shows the projected gas density in logarithmic scale, with the equivalence given in the inset. Densities are referred to the mean density of the universe at the time Silk and Mamon (2012), Combes (2014), Fraternali (2014), Conselice et al (2013) (observationally oriented), Shlosman (2013), Benson (2010) (theoretically oriented), and Madau and Dickinson (2014) (emphasizing the high-redshift aspects).…”

Observational evidence that positive and negative AGN feedback depends on galaxy mass and jet power

“…Boyle & Terlevich 1998;Merloni et al 2004;Aird et al 2010;Madau & Dickinson 2014) and 4) a tight correlation is found between the BH and stellar mass of the host galaxy bulge (e.g. Magorrian et al 1998;McConnell & Ma 2013;Graham & Scott 2013;Kormendy & Ho 2013).…”

The Next-Generation Infrared Space Mission Spica: Project Updates

“…Especially, in the peak period of star formation activity, most of the energy emitted in the star formation process was converted into the infrared and less than 10% remained visible at the ultraviolet to optical wavelengths (Madau & Dickinson, 2014). The era of the highest star formation activity is really a "dusty era".…”