Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)

By Amigos IAS

Why is it in the news?

  • Recently, a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) aims to understand the connection between gravitational instabilities and galaxy evolution.
    • It examined the relationship between gravitational instabilities, star formation, gas fraction, time scale for instability growth, and galaxy morphology.

More about the news

  • The study analysed data from 175 galaxies taken from the Spitzer Photometry and Accurate Rotation Curves (SPARC) database.
  • Spiral galaxies, like the Milky Way, were found to have higher star formation rates, lower stability, lower gas fractions, and shorter time scales for gravitational instability growth.
    • This suggests that gravitational instabilities in spiral galaxies rapidly convert gas into stars, depleting the gas reservoirs.
  • The study compared stability levels in nearby galaxies with those observed at high redshift, providing insights into the connection between gravitational instabilities and galaxy evolution.
    • The results suggest that galaxies with marginal stability levels undergo intense, short-term star formation, depleting gas reserves, while highly stable galaxies have slower, long-term star formation processes.
  • The study highlights the need for future investigations into the impact of gravitational instabilities on the morphological evolution of galaxies across different redshifts.
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)

·       The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) is an autonomous research institute headquartered in Bengaluru, India.

·       It receives full financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

·       IIA specializes in conducting research in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, and related disciplines.

·       The institute was established in the year 1971, marking its founding date.

 

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