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Judi Lynn

(160,219 posts)
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 01:14 PM Dec 2019

Over 200,000 galaxies confirmed that the Galaxy mergers ignite star bursts


Galaxy mergers are the driving force behind starbursts.

BY
AMIT MALEWAR

OCTOBER 21, 2019




Two galaxies in the process of merging. Credit: NASA/ESA/Hubble

Galaxy mergers and interactions are an integral part of our basic understanding of how galaxies grow and evolve over time. However, the effect that galaxy mergers have on star-formation rates (SFRs) is contested, with observations of galaxy mergers showing reduced, enhanced, and highly enhanced star formation.

In a new study, scientists determined the effect of galaxy mergers on the star-formation rates of galaxies using statistically large samples of galaxies, totaling over 200 000, which is over a large redshift range from 0.0 to 4.0.

A group of astronomers used over 200,000 galaxies as a sample and confirmed that galaxy mergers are the driving force behind starbursts. This is for the first time, scientists have used AI in a galaxy merger study.

The most popular theory is that the galaxy mergers go hand-in-hand with short starburst phases and an increase of around a factor two in star formation over the whole duration of the merger. Mergers would produce shock waves in the interstellar gas, igniting significant baby booms of stars.

More:
https://www.techexplorist.com/200000-galaxies-confirmed-galaxy-mergers-ignite-star-bursts/27216/

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Over 200,000 galaxies confirmed that the Galaxy mergers ignite star bursts (Original Post) Judi Lynn Dec 2019 OP
I sort of expect that the increase in star formation when galaxies merge PoindexterOglethorpe Dec 2019 #1
What's at the end of the galaxies? matt819 Dec 2019 #2

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,750 posts)
1. I sort of expect that the increase in star formation when galaxies merge
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 01:26 PM
Dec 2019

has to do with the dust that each galaxy has. Now there's enough excess dust to trigger a wave of star formation.

Here's an interesting article about star formation in our own galaxy. https://www.universetoday.com/139823/were-in-the-milky-ways-second-life-star-formation-was-shut-down-for-billions-of-years/

matt819

(10,749 posts)
2. What's at the end of the galaxies?
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 03:08 PM
Dec 2019

And how would we know?

Is it like The Truman Show, where he found the end of his universe and then left it?

Or, more likely, are there just more galaxies, on and on forever?

Boggles the mind.

But, sure, 6,000 years old and invented by some old white guy in less than a week. Got it.

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