Tidal debris structures, composed of stars cast off by disrupting satellite galaxies and globular clusters, are striking evidence of the hierarchical formation of galaxies. They are windows into galactic accretion and provide powerful probes of dark matter halo structure and substructure. Recent advances in low surface brightness imaging and star count studies have revealed a wealth of new examples both around the Milky Way and farther afield. I will present several recent results derived from these observations with a focus on how tidal debris can be interpreted, individually or collectively, as constraints on the properties of their host galaxies. I will also show new forecasts demonstrating that near-future studies of tidal debris in the Milky Way with instruments such as the Rubin Observatory and WFIRST can provide some of the most stringent tests of the cold dark matter model yet.
Add to Calendar
2020-02-03T15:00:002020-02-03T16:00:00Studying galaxies and their halos with tidal debrisEvent Information:
Tidal debris structures, composed of stars cast off by disrupting satellite galaxies and globular clusters, are striking evidence of the hierarchical formation of galaxies. They are windows into galactic accretion and provide powerful probes of dark matter halo structure and substructure. Recent advances in low surface brightness imaging and star count studies have revealed a wealth of new examples both around the Milky Way and farther afield. I will present several recent results derived from these observations with a focus on how tidal debris can be interpreted, individually or collectively, as constraints on the properties of their host galaxies. I will also show new forecasts demonstrating that near-future studies of tidal debris in the Milky Way with instruments such as the Rubin Observatory and WFIRST can provide some of the most stringent tests of the cold dark matter model yet.Event Location:
Hennings 318